Education

School District #71 currently has 16 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, and 3 highschools with a total student population of 9,306 (SD #71 2009/10 Student Enrollment Summary as of February 2010).

North Island College
North Island College offers approximately 840 individual courses, and approximately 70 credit programs. North Island College has 4 campuses and 4 learning centres. From Campbell River to Bella Coola on BC’s central coast to Ucluelet on Vancouver Island’s west coast, with its administrative centre on the beautiful 64 acre Courtenay campus.

Approximately 3,145 students were registered for courses at the Comox Valley Campus during the 2007/08 school year. This number included 1,473 students enrolled in credit courses and 1,672 students enrolled in short duration courses. North Island College employs approximately 120 staff in this region, which includes faculty, support staff, and administration (North Island College website 2010).

Excel Career College
Excel Career College is a private post—secondary college that has been providing education to the community since 1989. Excel is registered and accredited with the Private Post-Secondary Education Commission of BC, and in compliance with the Private Post-Secondary Education Act. Excel offers full time college programs, corporate training, computer and business courses and private instruction (Excel Career College website 2007).

Sprott-Shaw Community College
Sprott-Shaw provides small class sizes, qualified instructors, hands-on training and a friendly appropriate learning environment for adults of all ages. Curriculum includes office, healthcare, tourism, hospitality, business, administrative and international studies (Sprott -Shaw Community College website 2007).