Address: 3rd and 4th floor in the West Block of the Confederation Building,100 Prince Philip Drive, St. John’s, NL.
| Tel: (709) 729-5097 Email: education@gov.nl.ca | Website: https://www.gov.nl.ca/education/ |
Mandate:
The Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development is responsible for providing a high-quality educational system, from early learning and child care to K-12 education, apprenticeship and trades, and post-secondary education.
The mandate for the department is established under the Departmental Notices under the Executive Council Act, and other pieces of legislation that support the mandate as follows:
· Apprenticeship and Certification Act;
· Child Care Act;
· College Act, 1996;
· Council on Higher Education Act;
· Degree Granting Act;
· Memorial University Act;
· Teachers Association Act;
· Memorial University Pensions Act;
· Private Training Institutions Act;
· Public Libraries Act;
· Schools Act, 1997;
· Student Financial Assistance Act, 2019;
· Teacher Training Act;
Vision:
A Department that delivers accessible, high-quality education; and practical skills development that empower individuals, strengthen communities, and drive economic growth, ensuring every learner in Newfoundland and Labrador gains the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed throughout life.
Target Population:
The Department of Education primary clients are educators, children, youth and their families.
Lines of Business:
Our programs and services foster a high-quality learning environment that spans early childhood education, K–12 schooling, and advanced education and skills development. We are committed to ensuring that every Newfoundlander and Labradorian has a strong start in life, ongoing opportunities to keep learning, and clear pathways to careers in the skilled trades. The Department also funds and supports public libraries.
What we do:
Early Learning, Inclusion and Child Development Branch develops and monitors legislation, policies, and funding for early learning and child care programming in child care services and Family Resource Centres (FRCs). The branch supports children with diverse needs, oversees licensing and inspections, and evaluates system performance. This branch also facilitates transitions to K-12, provides parent resources, promotes early literacy through public libraries, and leads student services and safe school initiatives within the K-12 education system.
K-12 Education Branch oversees K-12 education curricula, policies and resources in English and French. It supports distance education, curriculum development and implementation, student assessment, and teacher certification. This branch monitors performance of the educational system and collaborates across branches to enhance learning outcomes.
Education Operations Branch manages and supports assessment in schools, school policies, and teacher professional learning. It provides guidance and counselling, supports extracurricular activities, and ensures safe, healthy learning environments through effective resource management. It is also responsible for corporate services functions for the school system, such as HR, IT, and Finance.
Apprenticeship and Trades Branch is responsible for overseeing apprenticeship training and certification in the province, supporting individuals pursuing a career in the skilled trades and working with institutions delivering skilled trades training. The branch also hosts the Atlantic Apprenticeship Harmonization Partnership Office.
Post-Secondary Education Branch is responsible for supporting the delivery of post-secondary education in the province through Memorial University of Newfoundland, the College of the North Atlantic, and private training institutions. The branch is also responsible for adult learning and literacy and the provision of financial assistance to post-secondary education students.
Note: The Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) is a high-quality, made-in-Canada high school equivalency credential. The CAEC is for adults who do not have a high school diploma but need an education credential. It enables people to get a job, advance their careers, or access other training opportunities, including apprenticeships. Employers, post-secondary institutions and others can count on the CAEC as a reliable indicator of Canadian adults’ level of educational achievement. For detailed information regarding CAEC, please visit the website: https://www.gov.nl.ca/education/adult-literacy/ged-caec-high-school-equivalency/