Canada: Secondary Education

Secondary

Overview

Information on key aspects of a country’s education system, including governance, instructional language, and other structural features defined by national or regional regulations.

Ministry Responsible

Provincial and territorial ministries or departments of education

Language of Instruction

English, French

Duration

6 years (ages 12 to 18)

Grades 7 to 12

Levels

Intermediate/Junior High/Middle/Secondary School: Grades 7 to 9 (compulsory)

Senior Secondary/Senior Years: Grades 10 to 12 (non-compulsory)

Qualifications, Curriculum, Grading

Not all awards or study patterns are included.

Canadian Provinces and Territories (Excluding Quebec)

No.	Qualification	High School Diploma / Secondary School Diploma*	Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC)
1	Awarding Body	Provincial department or ministry of education	CAEC Testing Service administers examination Province/territory awards qualification (CAEC not offered in British Columbia, Nunavut, Quebec, or Yukon)
2	Admission Requirements	Completion of Grade 8	Age 18 (varies by province/territory)
3	Length of Program	4 years	Self-paced
4	Streams	Varies by province/territory, but generally: University track Honours track Occupational track Most provinces/territories offer: French language first programs French immersion programs	None
5	Mandatory Core Subjects	Varies by province/territory, but typically: First language (usually English, sometimes French) Mathematics Science Social science Physical and health education Career and personal/life management Electives (sometimes arranged in “clusters”) include: second language third language indigenous language/studies arts technology Community service hours sometimes required	Five mandatory tests: Reading Writing Mathematics Science Social Studies
6	Post-graduation Pathways	Access to: associate’s degree programs (in British Columbia) college diploma bachelor’s degree apprenticeships labour market	Access to: associate’s degree programs (in British Columbia) college diploma bachelor’s degree apprenticeships labour market

* Qualification title varies by province/territory

Quebec

No.	Qualification (English)	Secondary School Diploma (SSD)
1	Qualification (French)	Diplôme d’études secondaires (DES)
2	Awarding Body	Ministère de l’Éducation (Quebec Ministry of Education)
3	Admission Requirements	Completion of elementary education
4	Length of Program	5 years
5	Streams	No set streams
6	Mandatory Core Subjects	French (or English) language Mathematics Second language Science and technology, or applied science and technology History of Quebec and Canada Arts education Ethics and religious culture, or physical education and health
7	Post-graduation Pathways	Access to: college studies at CEGEPs (including pre-university training programs) labour market

Institutions

Types and number of officially recognized institutions providing secondary education.

No.	Institution Type	Number of Institutions	Qualifications Offered	Ministry Responsible
1	Secondary schools	~ 1,100 (2020)	High School Diploma High School Graduation Certificate Diplôme d’études secondaires (DES) Secondary School Diploma (SSD)	Provincial/territorial ministry or department of education
2	Mixed elementary and secondary schools	~ 2,100 (2020)	High School Diploma High School Graduation Certificate Diplôme d’études secondaires (DES) Secondary School Diploma (SSD)	Provincial/territorial ministry or department of education

Source: Council of Ministers of Education, Canada

Grading System

Examples of the most commonly used grading scales.

No.	Letter Grade	Descriptor	Percent Range	Grade Point Value	Achievement Level
1	A+	Excellent	90% to 100%	4.0/4.3	4
2	A	Excellent	85% to 89%	4	4
3	A-	Excellent	80% to 84%	3.7	4
4	B+	Good	76% to 79%	3.3	3
5	B	Good	72% to 75%	3	3
6	B-	Good	68% to 71%	2.7	3
7	C+	Satisfactory	64% to 67%	2.3	2
8	C	Satisfactory	60% to 63%	2	2
9	C-	Marginal	55% to 59%	1.7	2
10	D	Marginal	50% to 54%	1	1
11	F	Failure	0% to 49%	0	0

Enrollment

Total Enrollment

Total enrollment in a specific level of education, regardless of age.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Gross Enrollment Ratio

Total enrollment in a specific level of education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the eligible official school-age population corresponding to the same level of education in a given school year.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Source: Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center

Lower Secondary Mathematics: Percentage of Proficient Students

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in mathematics.

Canada

78.4% (2022)

Global Rank

11 of 103

High Income Countries Average

70.9% (2019)

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Lower Secondary Reading: Percentage of Proficient Students

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading.

Canada

81.9% (2022)

Global Rank

9 of 94

High Income Countries Average

80.5% (2019)

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Secondary

Overview

Provincial and territorial ministries or departments of education

English, French

6 years (ages 12 to 18) Grades 7 to 12

Intermediate/Junior High/Middle/Secondary School: Grades 7 to 9 (compulsory) Senior Secondary/Senior Years: Grades 10 to 12 (non-compulsory)

Qualifications, Curriculum, Grading

Canadian Provinces and Territories (Excluding Quebec)

Quebec

Institutions

Grading System

Enrollment

Total Enrollment

Gross Enrollment Ratio

International Benchmarks

PISA 2022 Mathematics

496.9

9 of 81

472.4

PISA 2022 Science

515.0

8 of 81

484.6

PISA 2022 Reading

507.1

8 of 81

475.6

TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Grade 8

N/A

N/A

478

TIMSS 2023 Science Grade 8

N/A

N/A

478

Lower Secondary Mathematics: Percentage of Proficient Students

78.4% (2022)

11 of 103

70.9% (2019)

Lower Secondary Reading: Percentage of Proficient Students

81.9% (2022)

9 of 94

80.5% (2019)

6 years (ages 12 to 18)

Grades 7 to 12

Intermediate/Junior High/Middle/Secondary School: Grades 7 to 9 (compulsory)

Senior Secondary/Senior Years: Grades 10 to 12 (non-compulsory)