B.C. To Make Holocaust Education Mandatory For High School Students

Holocaust education will soon be mandatory for Grade 10 students in British Columbia.

“For our friends and neighbours in the Jewish community, this has been an incredibly frightening time. We have seen a rise in antisemitism in B.C. following the terrorist attacks in Israel, which evokes the history of persecution of Jews,” said B.C. Premier David Eby.

“Combatting this kind of hate begins with learning from the darkest parts of our history, so the same horrors are never repeated. That’s why we are working with the Jewish community to make sure learning about the Holocaust becomes a requirement for all high school students.”

According to a study commissioned by the Canadian charity Liberation75 last year, a third of North American students surveyed believe the Holocaust was either exaggerated or fabricated.

Incidents of antisemitism have been on the rise across B.C. in recent years, including a surge in violent incidents - especially true over the last few weeks.

The changes will take effect in the 2025-26 school year to allow for consultation and development with the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, the Jewish community and education partners.

To see the full release, visit Government of British Columbia.