New Westminster’s international education program is the most outstanding program in the province, according to the B.C. Council for International Education.
The local program was recognized last month for what the international education council called a “high quality and highly creative program.”
For 30 years, the school district has been guiding students from overseas through the local education system. The key to the program’s success is its focus on providing students with a Canadian experience, both in and out of the classroom, said Karen Klein, director of international education in New Westminster.
“They’ve heard a lot about what Canada is and what Canada has to offer,” she said.
“They choose this part of the world because they know that Canada has a safe reputation, they know that Vancouver has a safe reputation and also a reputation for a great lifestyle.”
Students can enrol in a number of different programs, including long-term and short-term stays, summer or sister-city experiences. Some stay for a semester while others stay for three to five years, Klein said.
“It’s one of the longest running in the country and in that time over 6,000 students from 38 countries have been here,” she added.
The program is open to students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. The primary students are required to live with family or friends while the secondary students are placed with host families. To help the transition, international students are usually matched with a buddy as well as a counsellor who leads them through the new system. For all this, the students from abroad pay upwards of $14,000 per year to attend a New Westminster school.
“Having a graduation diploma from a North American school will help their futures,” Klein said of the benefits of an international education.
Depending on their English language skills, international students can enrol in any of the courses available to local students (local students are given priority for class selection). They usually take four regular classes, including math, English and social studies, and then anything else they want.
But it’s not just about language learning, Klein said.
“It’s about cultural understanding as well, and learning about another culture and being cognisant about what that culture can contribute. I think it just gives people a better understanding of each other,” she said.
And this goes both ways, she added.
Bringing international students into the school district benefits local kids, too, by introducing them to other cultures as well as promoting studying abroad.
New Westminster residents can get involved by becoming a host family. For more information on the homestay program, click here.
