B.C. elementary school enrolment shrinks

B.C. Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid says school enrolment continues to decline in the province with 6,000 fewer students expected in Grades 1 through 12.

MacDiarmid said Tuesday the complete provincial enrolment numbers will not be final until the end of September, but so far, the ministry estimates there will be 544,000 students.

"[School districts] have estimated that there'll be about 6,000 fewer students than there were last year," she said. "We still have enrolment decline."

Student populations continue to decline in the Vancouver School District, while overcrowding remains an issue in nearby Surrey, said MacDiarmid.

She said enrolment numbers in Vancouver have dropped by about five per cent during the last decade for a decline of about 3,000 students.

The Vancouver school board is about to undertake a public  consultation process that likely examines closing some public schools.

"We know that there is a lot of empty classroom space in Vancouver," said MacDiarmid. "They do have a couple of schools at least that are 60 per cent to 70 per cent empty. So, they are looking at their use of space."

MacDiarmid said about 21,000 students are expected to attend the first all-day Kindergarten classes. The all-day program is being phased in over this year and next.

The total kindergarten enrolment last year in British Columbia was 35,700 students.

"We know this program is going to make a difference," said MacDiarmid. "There's a large body of research around the world that play-based learning, high-quality learning for kindergarten students makes a difference for them."

She said the results include higher high school graduation rates and higher post-secondary school attendance and completion rates.