In Canada, there is little policy to support education along a continuum.

In most provinces and territories, the different “levels” of education are overseen by separate ministries or discrete departments within ministries. Cooperation and collaboration is rare. For example, there are jurisdictions where ministries responsible for post-secondary education will not share data with ministries responsible for K to 12 education. 

In large part because of these divisions, each education sector – early childhood, K-12, post-secondary, workplace – has its own “language” and definitions of skills, competencies, and goals. 

There is also little infrastructure to support students as they make transitions or to support educators and staff to work across system divides. Thus, navigating the pathway along the continuum becomes the responsibility of individuals and is experienced inequitably. 

Currently, not all components of education are universally accessible – both early childhood education and post-secondary education come with a cost that creates barriers to participation. 

Today’s children will be graduating into a world we cannot yet imagine, and education will be their key to success.

However, their future needs – and the future needs of Canada – will not be met in the current education system. If we only start thinking about whether or not learners are well-prepared for a modern economy and a complex world after they have graduated from high school, it will be too late.

If learning in Canada took place along a continuum there would be a cohesive and seamless progression of learning that would work for all students – starting in the early years, or even at birth, and progressing through to K-12, to post-secondary education, and finally the world of work.

People for Education conducted an inventory of the current skills frameworks that developed at the provincial and territorial level in Canada. Nearly all jurisdictions have separate – and not necessarily complementary – frameworks for early years, K to 12, and post-secondary. We also included some frameworks from non-governmental organizations.

The goal of this work is to ensure that all Canada’s young people, especially those who from marginalized groups (Black, Indigenous, and racialized individuals), are prepared to succeed in a future that is unknown and filled with both challenges and opportunities. This goal will be achieved by developing adoptable, attainable, and accountable policy proposals that promote continuity and coherence throughout every child’s education.

The Continuum of Learning Working Group consists of stakeholders across the education sector, from early years to post-secondary education and the world of work, who are passionate about the future of public education. It includes students, employers, experts from early childhood, K-12 and post-secondary education, think tanks, policymakers, and academics.