In recent years, geomatics has had a tremendous effect on geographical education at the post-secondary level. Courses, departments and even entire colleges such as the College of Geographic Sciences in Nova Scotia, Canada, are now dedicated to its study and use. Predictably, the impact of geomatics on classroom teaching at the secondary level has been more mixed. One way to evaluate its impact in secondary schools is to examine the relative emphasis placed on it by curriculum setting committees of diploma granting institutions. This article focuses on the very different experiences of the International Baccalaureate Organisation and the Ontario Ministry of Education in Canada.