By Ryan Kiedrowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator
November 15, 2023
Students entering Grade 10 next fall will be the first to encounter some changes to graduation credit requirements.
The Government of Saskatchewan announced last week that a new credit requirement focussing on financial literacy will be added, English language arts will drop from five credits to three, social sciences credits will fall from three credits to two and an increase in the number of electives will occur. The total number of credits required to graduate will remain unchanged at 24.
“The same number of credits will be required, but what combination of credits that will be required is what’s changing,” explained Keith Keating, Director of Education/CEO South East Cornerstone Public School Division. “I think the driver of that is really student choice and aligning with some of the other provinces. It’s similar in what we see in Alberta, Manitoba and BC in terms of the required English credits. It should open up some options for students in other areas.”
The changes to be implemented in the 2024-25 school year are:
• a new credit requirement at the high school level for a course that focuses on financial literacy;
• a change in the number of required credits for English language arts (ELA);
• a change in the number of required credits for social sciences; and
• an increase in the number of electives students require to graduate.
The changes are based on insight and recommendations received from the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation; League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents; First Nation Education Authorities; post-secondary institutions; various Chambers of Commerce and parents. The feedback suggested that students require additional credit flexibility to learn subjects they are passionate about to help them successfully enter the workforce. These changes align Saskatchewan education standards to those across Canada.
“Allowing students more personal choice in their learning to better prepare them for their futures and getting Saskatchewan back to basics is a positive step forward,” Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “We have heard from the education sector that students need to be prepared for a rapidly changing labour market by focusing on the development of transferrable skills in areas such as financial literacy.”
According to the province, a new grade 10 Financial Literacy credit will provide the building blocks for students to understand personal finance and the economy. Adding a financial literacy credit also aligns with the majority of Canadian jurisdictions that require students to learn about financial literacy.
The change to the number of required credits for English language arts (ELA), from five to three, with one requirement at each of the grades 10, 11 and 12 levels will bring Saskatchewan into alignment with other provinces, including British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario, which all require three ELA credits to graduate.
Required credits for social sciences will change from three to two and will bring Saskatchewan into alignment with other jurisdictions. British Columbia and Manitoba each require two credits, while Ontario requires 1.5 credits.
Keating views the proposed shift in credits as a positive step, but would like to see an updated social sciences program in general.
“I think the changes are good. The inclusion of the financial literacy one is something that will be great for graduating students,” he said. “The social sciences have dropped from three to two [credits], and that’s in order to again allow for some flexibility for choice for students. That was one I was hoping to see they would do a large-scale revamp on. Many of the curriculums date back to the late 1980s early 1990s. They’re in dire need of an update, so I hope thats the next piece that comes out of this.”
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Students currently in Grade 10 through 12 will not be affected by this change.