Boosted by an increasing number of Aboriginal students who completed secondary school, B.C. schools achieved their highest completion rate ever in the 2010-11 school year.
Eighty-one per cent of all students finished six years of secondary school in 2010-2011, up slightly from 2009-10 (79.7 per cent) and the eight-year trend, in which the rate has been at least 78 per cent.
The rate of aboriginal students who stayed in school climbed three per cent last year, from 50.4 per cent in 2009-10 to 53.7 per cent in 2010-11. That percentage of finishing students dipped as low as 46.9 per cent in 2007-08, but overall, in the past 10 years, it has jumped 11 per cent.
The latest figures, released last week, show the completion rate improved in all student sub-populations -- male, female, Aboriginal, English as a Second Language and special needs.
"It is encouraging to see these numbers trending upwards for all student populations and I especially pleased to see increases in completion rates among Aboriginal students," said Education Minister George Abbott, in a prepared release.
"While there is still work to be done, this is a step in the right direction and shows that districts are more effectively engaging Aboriginal students and helping to support their success."
