In Canada, the quality of private primary and secondary schools is generally considered to be better than that of public schools. Canadian immigration experts point out that the reason students from private schools are more likely to succeed later in life is primarily due to their high family backgrounds, rather than the resources of the schools.
Recently, a Canadian research institution tracked 7,142 tenth-grade students from various provinces across Canada, following them from the age of 15 to 23, specifically examining their standardized test scores in reading, mathematics, and science during high school, as well as the diplomas they obtained by the age of 23. The study showed that students from private high schools had better standardized test scores, averaging 9% higher than their public school counterparts, and a higher proportion of private high school students obtained university degrees after graduating from high school in Canada.
However, the superior performance of private school students is not significantly related to school resources; rather, their family’s socioeconomic status is the determining factor.
The Influence of Family and Peers
The family environment, socioeconomic conditions, and peer influence are the main factors contributing to the success of private school students. Compared to public school students, private school students have a lower rate of parental divorce, they tend to live with their biological parents more often, their family income is higher, and their parents have higher educational qualifications, with homes typically containing a large number of books and computers. Most private school students come from similar family backgrounds, which often leads to more positive peer influences in school.
Private School Students Are More Motivated
Jim Power, the principal of Upper Canada College, a private boys' school located in Toronto, states that the selection process for private schools is stricter, so the students who are admitted are more motivated. As the name suggests, private schools are selective, and typically only one-third of applicants are ultimately admitted. Therefore, our students hold themselves to higher standards, and parents are more supportive and involved, having higher expectations for their children.
School Resources Are "Not the Main Factor"
The differences in resources between public and private primary and secondary schools in Canada are "slight"; approximately 6% of 15-year-old children in Canada attend private schools.
The resources referred to include:
The student-to-teacher ratio;
The annual teaching hours;
The number of computers per student;
The proportion of teachers with bachelor's degrees.
