Series GR-3534 - United World College scholarships

The Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology was renamed the Ministry of Advanced Education in 2001 (OIC 565/2001). The Ministry of Advanced Education provided funding and policy direction for British Columbia's public post-secondary education system, and administers student financial assistance programs. The ministry also administers provincial statutes governing public and private post-secondary institutions.

The Ministry of Advanced Education was renamed the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development in 2008 (OIC 430/2008). At this time, functions related to science were transferred to the Ministry of Technology, Trade and Economic Development. The new Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development gained some additional functions from the Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Community Services.

The Ministry of Education was established in 1976 as the successor to the Dept of Education (OIC 3199/76). The ministry was responsible for the management of education in the province. It carried out its functions through four divisions which each reported to an assistant deputy minister. The Schools Department was responsible for providing leadership for the efficient delivery of educational programs and services in the areas of curriculum development and other policies; the Management Operations Department was responsible for providing management assistance both within and outside the department; the Post-Secondary Department was responsible for the general direction and provision of support services to community colleges and provincial institutes; the Education Finance Department was responsible for the evaluation of all financial aspects of the education system. In 1978, the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, at which time the responsibilities for science, technology, and metric conversion were added (OIC 3018/78).

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology was established in 1978 as the successor to the Ministry of Education (OIC 3018/78). The functions of science, technology, and metric conversion were also added to the ministry. The ministry was responsible for the management of education in the province. It carried out its functions through four divisions. The Schools Department was responsible for assisting in the efficient delivery of educational programs in areas such as curriculum development, and for providing administrative services for school districts, and offering programs for professional staff of the school system; the Ministry Services Department was responsible for providing management assistance both within and outside the department; the Post-Secondary Department was responsible for the general direction and provision of support services to community colleges and provincial institutes; the Inspector of Independent Schools was responsible for for inspecting all independent schools applying for government assistance.

In 1979, the name reverted to the Ministry of Education when the responsibility for post-secondary education was transferred to the newly established Ministry of Universities, Science and Communications (OIC 2957/79).

The Ministry of Education was established in 1979 as the successor to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (OIC 2957/79). The ministry was responsible for ensuring that students enrolled in elementary and secondary schools have access to quality and cost-effective education and for setting standards for the overall direction of the education system. It does this by managing finance and facilities, program direction development and implementation, student access and achievement, teaching performance, and through system evaluation and public accountability.

In 1996 the Ministry of Education was disestablished. Its functions were transferred to the newly established Ministry of Education, Skills and Training, alongside functions relating to skills and training transferred from the disestablished Ministry of Skills, Training and Labour (OIC 199/96).

In 1996 the Ministry of Education was disestablished. Its functions were transferred to the newly established Ministry of Education, Skills and Training, alongside functions relating to skills and training transferred from the disestablished Ministry of Skills, Training and Labour (OIC 199/1996). Two years later, the ministry's name reverted to the Ministry of Education when these new functions were moved to the newly established Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology (OIC 177/1998).

The Ministry of Education was established in 1920 under its first name, the Dept. of Education, by an amendment to the Public School Act (SBC 1920, c. 82). The educational system of British Columbia had been founded in the Crown colony period in the Common School Act (1865), replaced by the Common School Ordinance (1869), and administered respectively by the superintendent of education or inspector general of schools, reporting directly to the governor-in-council. The Public School Act (SBC 1872, c. 16) was enacted in 1872, creating a Provincial Board of Education and a superintendent of education reporting to the Provincial Secretary. The Provincial Secretary also doubled as the minister of education until 1924. It was not until the 1920 amendment to the Public School Act that a distinct Dept. of Education was constituted with the functions and responsibilities of education in the province.

The Dept. of Education, under the direction of the minister of education, assisted by a deputy minister and superintendent of education, was responsible for the maintenance and management of all normal schools, the issuing of teachers’ certificates of qualification, and advising the Council of Public Instruction on all matters relating to education in the province. Home economics, high school correspondence, recreational and physical education, extension and adult education, and educational reference and school services were added as branches or divisions between 1920 and 1950.

The department assumed responsibility for the School of the Deaf and Blind (Jericho Hill) in 1922, the Victoria School of Art in 1938 (closed in 1942), and Vancouver School of Navigation in 1938. In 1942 the Provincial Library and Archives, the Public Library Commission, and the Provincial Museum were transferred to the department from the Dept. of Provincial Secretary. By 1947, the work of the department was divided among the following branches: High School Correspondence Branch, Elementary Correspondence Branch, Educational and Vocational Guidance, Industrial Education, Adult Education, School for the Deaf and the Blind, School Radio Broadcasts, Division of Tests, Standards, and Research, Text-book Branch, Visual Education, Inspection of Schools, and Normal Schools.

In 1976, the Dept. of Education was renamed the Ministry of Education (OIC 3199/76). Two years later, it was renamed, again, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, at which time the responsibilities for science, technology, and metric conversion were added. In 1979, the name reverted to the Ministry of Education. Simultaneously, a new Ministry of Universities, Science and Communications was established, with the transference of the responsibilities for post-secondary education, science, technology and metric conversion from education. The functions remaining in the Ministry of Education included: schools programs, special education, operations and services and institutional affairs in the Schools Dept.; management services and program services remaining in the Post- Secondary Dept.; and the Independent Schools Dept. Post-Secondary councils included the Academic Council, Occupational Training Council, and Management Advisory Council.

The Public School Act was repealed in 1980, when the School Act (SBC 1980, c. 375) was enacted. The new act provided for the continuance of the Ministry of Education, responsible for public schools (elementary and secondary) throughout the province, accordingly divided into district superintendencies. In 1996, the Ministry of Education was renamed the Ministry of Education, Skills and Training when functions relating to skills and training were transferred from the Ministry of Skills, Training and Labour (OIC 199/96).

Two years later, in 1998, the ministry's name reverted to the Ministry of Education when these functions were moved to the newly established Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology. The Ministry has continued under the same name since this time.