Adult Basic Education Program

The Adult Basic Education (ABE) program was designed to allow adults who have not completed high school a second chance to get a solid, high-quality education. ABE is offered at the College of the North Atlantic and by Private Training Institutions approved by the Minister of Education to offer ABE.

The course comparison matrices provided on the following pages show the current ABE course and the equivalent former ABE course, BTSD course, and high school courses (current and old). There are five content areas covered by these matrices including, General Options, Employability Skills, Communications Skills, Mathematics, and Science. If there are courses listed under "current high school" which are outside content areas and have no equivalent under "current ABE", then the student may qualify for general options credits.

Courses in high school prior to 1982 (in Math, English, and Science) are worth 4 credits each, unless otherwise indicated. Courses in other subject areas (Geography, French etc.) are worth 2 credits each. For BTSD courses, former ABE courses, and current high school courses, credits will be transferred on a "one-for-one" basis. This means that the credit value of each course taken has the same credit value transferred into the current ABE program. Examples, IC3215 is worth 2 credits, Language 3101 is worth 1 credit, C9 + C12 are worth a total of 2 credits.

ABE credits can be accumulated by:

1. completing some of the ABE courses described in the Adult Basic Education Program Guide Level III;
2. completing courses under the "old" ABE program or BTSD (Basic Training for Skills Development) program;
3. completing courses in the present high school curriculum;
4. completing courses in the pre-1983 re-organized high school program (grades 10 & 11);
5. completing courses other than those described above (eg. apprenticeship courses, courses in other languages etc.);
6. completing courses in Level II of the ABE curriculum; and
7. maturity credits in recognition that experience in the adult world can produce a competence and understanding equivalent for some purposes, and to varying degrees, to that which may be gained through formal education.

Note:

The Atlantic Provinces Educational Foundation is in the process of creating common curriculum for the Atlantic region. In September 1996, the revised Chemistry 3202 course was offered in high schools across the province. Due to major content changes there is no equivalency with the ABE Chemistry course. Individuals who completed the ABE program prior to 1996 would receive credit for the former high school Chemistry 3202 course however, those who completed the program after 1996 would not receive credit for the current Chemistry 3202 course, although they would still receive credit for Chemistry 2202.

Please consult the appropriate institutional calendar or Registrar's/Student Services Office for more information.

ABE Level III Communications Skills Course Comparison Matrix

ABE Level III Employability Skills Course Comparison Matrix

ABE Level III General Options Course Comparison Matrix

ABE Level III Mathematics Course Comparison Matrix

ABE Level III Science Course Comparison Matrix