Private Schools’ Role in BC Offshore School Inspections Raise Conflict Questions

Problems at B.C.-certified offshore schools are raising questions about the government inspection system that’s supposed to ensure the schools meet the province’s standards.

B.C.-approved schools in South Korea and Qatar have been hit with complaints over working conditions, education standards and legal status.

Both schools had passed recent B.C.-government inspections, even though the Seoul school had allowed its South Korean licence to lapse. That school also passed a surprise inspection in April, a week before all but two of the B.C.-certified teachers at the school were accused of visa fraud and ordered to leave the country.

The Tyee has learned that between 2014 and 2016, when both schools had their most recent regular inspections, 19 of the 32 offshore school inspectors — about 60 per cent — were linked to B.C. private schools. The other 13 inspectors include the principal of an offshore school in China, former public school employees and current employees at private and public post-secondary institutions.

At the same time, the province’s independent schools have joined public schools in dramatically increasing the number of international students they attract, including students from B.C.’s offshore schools.

The majority of schools with international programs charge students $10,000 to $15,000 in tuition, a $20 million-plus benefit to B.C.’s private schools. Schools typically charge international students more than domestic students. St. Michael’s University School in Victoria charges B.C. high school students $22,030 and international students $37,000 a year. The Vancouver school board levies tuition fees of $14,000 on international students.

Most private schools also receive per-student government funding of up to 50 per cent of public school supports.

While there is no evidence of wrongdoing by offshore school inspectors, private schools’ interest in attracting international students creates potential oversight issues if most inspectors have independent school ties, says Wendy Poole, associate professor of education studies at the University of British Columbia.

“It certainly does raise questions about the accountability of the inspectors and the inspection process,” Poole said. “To whom are these folks accountable? What are the checks and balances?”

From their beginning in 1998, B.C.’s offshore school program has been touted as a source of international students — and their money — for the province’s schools. A 1997 briefing to then-education minister Paul Ramsey on offshore schools mentions “the longer term potential of attracting ‘revenue producing students’ to the senior grades in the K-12 system.”

Under the BC Liberal government the program expanded dramatically, with 46 schools in eight countries certified to deliver B.C. curriculum — and grant B.C. graduation certificates. About 12,000 students are enrolled in the schools and the program brings B.C. about $5 million annually in fees.

The province’s private schools have seen international students as an important — and lucrative — market.

A 2012 survey by the Federation of Independent School Associations BC found independent schools expected a 50-per-cent growth in the number of international students by 2016.

In 2012, there were about 12,000 international students in public and private K-12 schools, with just under 2,000 enrolled in independent schools. According to the education ministry, the number of non-resident students — international and from other provinces — increased 70 per cent from 2012 to 2016, to 20,438 students. Private school non-resident enrolment more than doubled to 4,568, while public school enrolment increased by 59 per cent to 15,870.)

And the survey found about 40 per cent of private schools with international education programs were interested in partnering with an offshore school, while another 10 per cent already had. The offshore schools are a potential source of students for B.C.’s private schools.

Such partnerships raise ethical questions for UBC’s Poole: “If [an independent school is] hoping to make a link with whoever the private operators are in these countries, does that mean that they’re going to overlook certain shortcomings in order to have an ‘in’ with them later?”

Kootenay Christian Academy principal Des McKay was given a government contract to inspect offshore schools in Seoul, South Korea.

Before leaving, he noted in the school’s Oct. 27 newsletter that, “my goal is to build a network of offshore school contacts that can someday enrich and support the goals of KCA.”

The Tyee reached out to McKay for comment but did not hear back by deadline.

An Education Ministry spokesperson did not directly answer questions about why the majority of inspectors come from private schools. In an emailed statement, the ministry said inspectors for both offshore schools and the province’s independent schools are hired through a public procurement process.

Offshore inspections are conducted by teams of at least two people — an inspection chair and an inspector. The team chair is paid $600 per day, while inspectors receive $500 per day, plus per diems and $125 for incidentals per school inspected. Inspectors can expect to inspect one to four schools per year, paid for by the offshore schools.

According to the ministry’s most recent job listing, inspectors must be B.C.-certified teachers and residents of the province. Other qualifications include at least five years’ administration experience in public or private schools and two years’ experience conducting B.C. school evaluations.

Peter Froese, executive director of the Federation of Independent School Associations BC, says the Education Ministry initially “put the responsibility of establishing regulatory requirements for offshore schools in the jurisdiction of the inspector for independent schools.” B.C. created the first offshore school operating manuals in 2013.

“That could have been — though I don’t know this for certain — why there is a stronger presence of independent schools’ representatives in offshore inspections than there are public school representatives,” said Froese, himself a former independent and offshore school inspector.

Froese said FISA’s mention of partnerships between independent schools and offshore in the 2012 survey was part of a now-defunct government initiative to have the independent schools’ advocacy organization offer “guidance” to offshore schools.

“We determined that our constitution didn’t allow for that,” Froese said. But FISA BC doesn’t oppose partnerships between B.C. private schools and schools in other countries.

“I think there is a lot of wisdom and benefit in terms of student learning, appreciation for other cultures, diversity, all of that can be extremely beneficial in establishing those kinds of relationships. We would be advocates of that,” said Froese.

Offshore schools that go to Grade 12 give graduates a B.C. high school diploma, recognized at all North American post-secondary institutions. At B.C. post-secondary schools, international students can expect to pay three-and-a-half to four times the tuition of domestic students. In all, B.C.’s international education program contributed $3.5 billion to the provincial economy in 2015.

Government operating grants for private schools, based on enrolment, have been climbing at three times the rate of funding for public schools since 2005.

* Story updated July 3 to clarify B.C. regulatory changes in 2013 and add private-public school enrollment numbers for non-resident students.