North Central Region – Marcie Lundin, NLC

Northern Lights College (NLC) is committed to making education accessible to as many communities in northern British Columbia as possible.

Our expansive service area covers over 324,000 square kilometers, with main campuses located in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. We also have satellite campuses in Chetwynd, Fort Nelson, Tumbler Ridge, Atlin, and Dease Lake, ensuring we cater to a diverse student demographic and their unique needs.

To support our ABE students, we offer a wide variety of course formats. Our fundamental courses in math, science, English, trades preparation, and computer studies are primarily offered through our continuous intake adult learning center. In addition, we provide online options for some fundamental courses to reach those in more isolated areas.

We also offer advanced and provincial level courses in various formats to maximize accessibility. Some advanced courses are available as continuous intake online (OL) throughout the school year, while others utilize video conferencing (VC) between four campuses. Additionally, we provide hyflex (HF) continuous intake courses that blend online learning with video conference lectures.

Our academic offerings include advanced level courses in math (VC and OL), English (VC and OL), physics (HF), biology (VC), chemistry (VC), computers (OL), trades preparation (OL and adult learning center), and social studies (OL). For provincial level classes, we offer biology (VC and OL), chemistry (VC), English (VC and OL), math (VC), physics (HF), computers (OL), as well as education and career planning (OL).

We are dedicated to increasing access to our courses for students throughout our expansive region. It’s incredibly rewarding to create new educational opportunities within the college. Recently, we have made significant strides, including providing onsite instructors to reservations and remote communities. Notably, we’ve sent instructors to the Doig River First Nation community and have re-opened our campus in Atlin. Additionally, we are excited to be piloting a new course format, hyflex, which allows students to complete their coursework independently online, or enhance their learning with optional video-conferenced lectures accessible via TEAMS.

Over the past year, we have seen an increase in enrollment in our program. The college as a whole is committed to investing more resources into marketing and recruitment efforts, which has positively impacted the number of domestic student registrations.

In Northern and Central BC, Northern Lights College, College of New Caledonia, and Coast Mountain College are dedicated to fostering educational opportunities for all students, empowering them to achieve their academic and career goals.

Northern Lights College has been gaining recognition thanks to the establishment of our sports teams across main campuses. We are dedicated to traveling extensively to recruit top college rodeo athletes for our intercollegiate rodeo team based at the Dawson Creek Campus. In addition to hosting local rodeos, our team travels for many intercollegiate rodeo competitions. The Northern Lights College Rodeo Team are the 2024 Varsity Team Champions of Canadian College Rodeo 2023-24 Season (Top team in Canada out of 7 Teams). On Dec 14th, 2024 the college has announced that we are starting a college speed skating program on the Fort St. John campus. Northern Lights College is proud to be the only post-secondary institution with a collegiate speed skating team in Canada. As home to one of three indoor Olympic sized long track ovals, Fort St John is uniquely positioned to become home to a high-performance training program for students from across the country.

CNC, in north central BC, has experienced numerous accomplishments and enhancements in the past year. Their satellite campus in Quesnel underwent a trades wing expansion focused on creating opportunities for training in 4th class power engineering and apprentice welding. Thereby addressing the increasing demands of the trades sector. Additionally, the nursing lab at the Quesnel campus has been expanded to better serve the local healthcare requirements.

Coast Mountain College has been broadening its program offerings to address the needs of local communities and the labor market. One notable addition is the Introduction to Health Practices course designed for high school students. Additionally, the college has obtained final approval to launch a Practical Nursing Diploma Program, with its inaugural cohort beginning in January 2025.

Overall, the north central BC college region is flourishing, constantly evolving to effectively address the needs of students.

Fraser Valley – Barnabe Assogba, KPU

This semester, I sat down with Chris Traynor, an instructor and chair of the English Upgrading Department Faculty of Academic & Career Preparation, to reflect on the challenges we have faced at KPU in enrolling upgrading students in our programs. This conversation was essential because many of our course sections were cancelled before the spring semester began. During our discussion, a few points were brought to light, and we would like to share them with you for positive feedback and constructive comments or suggestions.

First, since our region has changed dramatically in the last decade, many of our regional service providers and potential students are unaware that KPU offers Adult Upgrading courses in English, math, and sciences. This situation leads to individuals who could benefit from upgrading their skills not accessing our courses, limiting their academic and career advancement. Those seeking to improve their employment or further education qualifications may remain underqualified, affecting local workforce development and weakening community support networks. The pain is being felt at KPU due to the low enrollment of this cohort of learners. Chris and our colleagues in English Language Studies have taken the matter into their own hands and visited several Surrey district schools and community organizations to introduce themselves, programs and establish a collaborative atmosphere with teachers and the student bodies. Such networking efforts require more work from more faculty members; however, as we all know, instructors are overloaded with their teaching schedules make it difficult for them to find time for other activities. For several years, KPU has established a solid Future Students Office (FSO) with a dynamic and engaging staff with an impressive record of organizing several outreach events every semester. In the Biology department, I have been coordinating these activities since last year and aware of their busy schedule. However, I think that most of these events are directed toward first-year students and not the population of students seeking to upgrade these skills. Having FSO seated with the ACP Dean’s office for a sincere talk and collaboration will be best since such fusion could provide a unique solution to the ongoing low enrollment in our programs. We all have to be proactive to assist individuals in our community to get the education they need to allow them to not only make their dreams come true but also to give them a chance to develop the appropriate skills they need to face the challenges of their time.

Chris’s second point was that the current registration timeline and process do not support students’ return to learning. Adult Upgrading Pathway students need an alternative entry process that recognizes their unique challenges to getting back into the classroom. To better serve this group of students, the current registration timeline and process for Adult Upgrading Pathway students at KPU should be revised to accommodate their unique challenges. These students often face barriers that university students are not experiencing, such as balancing work, family, and education, which are very challenging. In addition, many such students are working on their literacy skills and confidence with learning, and their prior experience with formal education has not been very welcoming nor comfortable. Our upgrading students first need to feel they belong at KPU, at university. Yet KPU’s entry process is intimating, confusing, and impersonal. Hence, KPU needs a more flexible and accessible registration process. One option could be to provide workshops or transfer the registration process to the ACP Dean’s office to help and easy students transition back to academic life.

The last point is that the online application process required by EducationPlannerBC is designed for overall efficiency and may be suitable for traditional undergraduate admissions. Still, this process is not human-centred, approachable, or easy to navigate for Adult Upgrading students. An alternative, supportive process for Adult Upgrading students to apply to the KPU Pathway is needed. To this point, many returning learners may not be comfortable with complex online systems, meaning that the process may feel challenging and overwhelming for those unfamiliar with post-secondary admissions. Developing a separate, user-friendly application process tailored for Adult Upgrading students, with clear step-by-step instructions, can be very helpful. Offer in-person, phone, and virtual support sessions where applicants can receive real-time help. Allow students to apply via paper forms or in person at KPU to reduce digital barriers. A tailored approach to address their unique challenges will lead to the number of Adult Upgrading students steadily increasing annually. Failing to do so effectively would be a significant setback for everyone in our KPU region.

The University of the Fraser Valley: UFV-UUP has no enrollment problem. Statistics show a steady enrollment in science and biology, with a significant waitlist. The number of students across all academic upgrading subjects (Math, English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics) has been firm with full or nearly complete classes and some classes with significant waitlists even though an observation of the students’ registration across elective courses such as ECP and Computer Science has been relatively weak resulting in some cancelled sections. There are ongoing consultations and discussions to improve these numbers in the future.

Vancouver Island – Puja Gupta, Camosun College

During the latter half of last year, ABE or Adult Basic Education on Vancouver Island has been facing the consequences of changes made regarding Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and decreased volumes of International students. There are significant changes to institutional structuring, financial pressures, and evolving student needs. ABE is still an essential component of post-secondary education on the island, despite all the obstacles, and institutions are working to increase accessibility, improve their curricula, and uphold community connections.

This year has been characterized by change at Vancouver Island University (VIU) and for the ABE program. This included the Faculty of Academic and Career Preparation (which houses ABE, ELL, AET, Pathways, and other programs) and the Faculty of Education coming under a single Dean. It is almost certain that VIU will face another round of budget cuts, but the budget for 2025-2026 has yet to be confirmed.

Stephanie B., Chair of the ABE Department, also shared that “the accountability report for VIU shows that we substantially achieved our developmental FTE targets for 2023/24. Our achievement is likely linked to the growth of domestic ELL (remembering that international ELL is not counted), as well as impressive growth in our Cowichan campus program. The ABE Cowichan Chair, Joan Robin, reports that ABE makes up approximately one-third of the programming in Cowichan. We have added Provincial Physics to our continuous intake online offerings so students in Cowichan and Tiwšɛmawtxʷ can access this course without needing to travel.”

ABE at North Island College (NIC) will see a significant shift starting in September 2025 when the ABE department will cease to exist and all ABE Math and English courses will be absorbed into the University Transfer (UT) Math and English departments. The long-term impacts of this change are unpredictable but currently this restructuring is proposed due to budget constraints.

At Camosun College, the ABE programming is responsive to financial restructuring, which is a key component for its sustainability. The School of Access has been merged to form a new School of Arts and Access (pending naming confirmation) which has led to a shift in the management and reorganization of the college. Although there have been some layoffs at the college, ABE courses still enjoy substantial attention in the new structure.

School of Access concluded a program review of upgrading Math and English courses, focusing on delivery modes, wrap-around supports, and student needs. The review informed actions to extend participation and inclusion. Community partnerships supporting ABE programming have grown, including a new collaboration with the Malahat Nation and an expansion of offerings through Songhees, and Esquimalt Nations.

Camosun has also secured funding for the redesign of its Math 12 alternative course, incorporating self-paced learning and gamification elements to improve student outcomes. Progress toward active outreach, planning, and contact to enhance the retention and academic achievement of students is also being undertaken. The college continues to see growth in domestic ELL enrollments, with new assessment tools being considered to replace the outgoing CLBPT.

Overall, ABE programs on Vancouver Island continue to evolve in response to financial pressures, institutional restructuring, and student needs. While challenges remain, particularly with budget reduction and program redesign, each institution is actively involved in maintaining and expanding access to foundation education for adult learners.

Surrey and Delta – Roberta Power, Educational Consultant, ProLiteracy New Readers Press

Programming Offered:

• Delta Continuing Education offers a wide range of courses year-round throughout the community. Programs include adult basic education, a variety of high school completion choices, workplace, and computer training. In addition, the District facilities operate a number of government-funded programs including LINC and the Life Skills Program.
• Delta Continuing Ed is also a provincially-approved training institution for Early Childhood Education certification and offers Basic and Post Basic ECE certificates.
• Similar to Delta, Surrey Schools has opportunities to improve literacy skills, complete a graduation certificate, do course upgrading, or earn a career certificate or diploma. They are also offering new high school equivalency courses–Arts Studio 12, Foundations English Level 7, and Foundations Math Level 7. With respect to career certification or diplomas, students
  can choose from these programs: Education Assistant Program, a full-time 5 month program with 200 hours of practicum experience in Surrey schools, or School Clerk Certificate, a part-time 12 week course under the supervision of a clerical mentor.

Enrolment and numbers

• Enrolment in Foundations, Highschool completion, LINC and Academic Upgrading have continue to increase in both Delta and Surrey, which has been a trend for the last three semesters. There are long waitlists in both districts.
• Delta Access continues to offer high-school completion online, so numbers have decreased for in-person classes in that area.
• In Surrey, Queen Elizabeth Continuing Ed currently has 1400 students enrolled, and will have close to 2000 students pass through their doors this year. In similar fashion, enrolment has gone up at Invergarry Adult Education Centre to approximately 1300 students.

Online, In person, or Hybrid?

• The majority of classes are in-person in Delta with a few hybrid offerings. However, Delta Access now offers high school completion courses online, and these are now preferred over inperson classes.
• The Ministry of Education in Surrey has a requirement to offer in person classes only, meaning their instructional delivery model has to be face-to-face.

Changes

• Delta Community College is offering LINC classes off-site due to increased enrollment and lack of space.
• Some teachers at Invergarry Adult Education Centre in Surrey are concerned about their workload and their ability to properly serve learners as they have had a huge increase of senior high school-aged learners in the Foundations Program.
• As Surrey Schools continues to grow, they have been diversifying their course offerings, and as stated, are offering more courses, both additional selections of current courses as well as new ones. However, the principal at Queen Elizabeth Continuing Ed states that although they are setting record enrolment numbers, the District has been taking away office staff, meaning they are overwhelmed with work. They were already thin in the office before the increases started 2 years ago, but are now woefully understaffed. If they had the staffing support they could have actually opened up 9 more sections of classes.
• Queen Elizabeth Continuing Ed also continues to attempt to establish satellite sites in east Surrey and south Surrey as some of their students struggle to get to their site in Central Surrey; however this has not gained traction.

Cariboo-Okanagan – Tory Anchikoski, TRU

Institutions in the interior are taking cautionary measures with respect to budgeting in response to federal changes to international student caps and entry/post-graduate work permits.  Thompson Rivers University is already seeing a decline in international student enrollments and these declines are expected to increase into the next academic year.  TRU is implementing cost saving measures,  including reducing base departmental funding, savings on international agent commissions, reduced UI and sessional costs, removal of a student residence, and passing on credit card fees to students.  Unfortunately, the budget cuts include a hiring freeze.  The UEPrep Department was slated to hire two new tenure-track faculty this year, but those positions were cut.  We have been told it is a temporary cut, but we are unsure of when hiring practices will return to normal.  At the time of this report, the strict budgeting is an effort to avoid layoffs. Adding to uncertainty are major changes in leadership.  TRU is currently in the midst of a search for a new President, and the current Provost has announced that she will be leaving TRU for another position in the spring.

Institutions are looking to bolster numbers with domestic students and increased focus on student retention.  The UEPrep Department plays an important role in both of these types of activities. There has been significant increase in interest in programming from communities in rural and remote areas.  We are currently operating under two Pathways grants – one in Lillooet and one in 100 Mile House.  A cohort of last year’s Pathways-funded students are now most of their way through an Early Childhood Education Diploma and have been warmly received into the school district and other child-welfare related organizations in their community.  We also have two Indigenous communities in the Cariboo currently applying for FNESC funding for year-long upgrading programs that would provide community members the opportunity to earn their Adult Graduation Diploma (AGD).

The Student Concierge model of student support is serving students well.  Individuals entering upgrading through this stream are more likely to apply, register and complete coursework.  Current difficulties in delivering ABE include a shortage of classrooms on campus, students still “recovering” from the gaps in education due to COVID, and a shortage of tenured faculty to carry out the work required when running academic programming in multiple disciplines across multiple locations.