British Columbia. Council of Public Instruction

Identity area

Type of entity

Government

Authorized form of name

British Columbia. Council of Public Instruction

Parallel form(s) of name

  • British Columbia. Dept of Education British Columbia. Superintendent of Education

Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

Other form(s) of name

  • Council of Public Instruction

Identifiers for corporate bodies

Description area

Dates of existence

1891-1971

History

From 1891 until 1971 the Public Schools Act provided for a "Council of Public Instruction composed of the Minister [of Education] and other members of the Executive Council of British Columbia." As chairman of the council, it was the minister's duty to advise his cabinet colleagues "on all matters relating to education in the province." In other words, when the cabinet met to consider educational matters it was functioning as the Council of Public Instruction.

The council was the highest level in the province's educational bureaucracy. It had a wide range of powers that it exercised by issuing rules and through orders in council. The rules of the council dealt with general regulations while orders concerned specific situations.

The powers of the council were laid out in the Public Schools Act. In general terms, its powers may be summarized under seven categories: definition, regulation, approval, investigation and adjudication, appointment, and establishment. Through its powers of definition the council could establish or abolish school districts, define the length of school terms, and decide the classes of teachers' certificates. Under its powers of regulation it could set conditions for establishing schools, determine conditions under which Bible readings were held in the schools, and establish the general duties of school teachers.

Through its powers of approval it formally sanctioned the use of certain textbooks. Under the heading of authorization the council approved the course of study used in the schools and made grants for vocational programmes. Investigation and adjudication involved cases of disputed school board elections and the suspension of teachers' certificates. The council's powers of appointment allowed it to appoint school trustees and members of the Provincial Board of Examiners, while under the category of establishment the council could establish special training programmes and summer schools for teachers.

The Council of Public Instruction ceased to exist on 02 April 1971 by an amendment to the Public Schools Act.

Places

Legal status

Functions, occupations and activities

Mandates/sources of authority

Internal structures/genealogy

B Government Name

General context

Relationships area

Access points area

Subject access points

Place access points

Occupations

Control area

Authority record identifier

296

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Central Name Authority File

Maintenance notes

  • Clipboard

  • Export

  • EAC

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