Aboriginal Education

Front 1

Band Schools: emerged out of the political lobbying of the 1960s and early 1970s

* 1972 National Indian Brotherhood produced “Indian Control of Indian Education”
* Aboriginal appropriate curriculum (history and culture)
* Development of appropriate curriculum materials
* Adult education and upgrading
* Removal of biased texts
* Clear educational objectives

Back 1

* Local language development
* Encouragement of Aboriginal teachers
* Involvement of parents in setting goals, ensuring attendance
* Federal government adopted in principle and began to devolve responsibility to the bands
* Educational staff in reserve schools no longer employed by the federal government but by First Nations
* Although funded federally

Front 2

* What was not devolved was the education system
* Now over 500 band day schools

Back 2

* 2/3 of First Nation children go to band schools on the reserve
* 1/3 to provincial integrated schools
* Provincial schools paid a fee by AANDC for each FN student
* Provinces argue Aboriginal children are a federal responsibility
*

Front 3

Funding:

* Under the Indian Act and various treaties, the Government of Canada has the financial responsibility for First Nation elementary/secondary students living on reserve who attend First Nation, provincial, federal or private schools.
* INAC planned expenditures for 2008/09 for elementary/secondary, post- secondary, special education, cultural education centres, as well as other targeted initiatives, is approximately $1.6 billion
* $200 million annually for new school construction or renovation

Back 3

* INAC spent on average First Nation student $6,916 in 2006/07, compared to a provincial average of $8,165.
* A 2% cap on increases to tuition and living allowance funding was put in place in 1996
* Has led to post secondary education for First Nations students "chronically under-funded”
* Result is that teachers get paid less on reserves, there are more students per teacher and there are fewer resources.

Front 4

Band Schools: emerged out of the political lobbying of the 1960s and early 1970s

* 1972 National Indian Brotherhood produced “Indian Control of Indian Education”
* Aboriginal appropriate curriculum (history and culture)
* Development of appropriate curriculum materials
* Adult education and upgrading
* Removal of biased texts
* Clear educational objectives
* Local language development
* Encouragement of Aboriginal teachers
* Involvement of parents in setting goals, ensuring attendance
* Federal government adopted in principle and began to devolve responsibility to the bands
* Educational staff in reserve schools no longer employed by the federal government but by First Nations
* Although funded federally
* What was not devolved was the education system
* Now over 500 band day schools
* 2/3 of First Nation children go to band schools on the reserve
* 1/3 to provincial integrated schools
* Provincial schools paid a fee by AANDC for each FN student
* Provinces argue Aboriginal children are a federal responsibility
* Under the Indian Act and various treaties, the Government of Canada has the financial responsibility for First Nation elementary/secondary students living on reserve who attend First Nation, provincial, federal or private schools.
* INAC planned expenditures for 2008/09 for elementary/secondary, post- secondary, special education, cultural education centres, as well as other targeted initiatives, is approximately $1.6 billion
* $200 million annually for new school construction or renovation
* INAC spent on average First Nation student $6,916 in 2006/07, compared to a provincial average of $8,165.
* A 2% cap on increases to tuition and living allowance funding was put in place in 1996
* Has led to post secondary education for First Nations students "chronically under-funded”
* Result is that teachers get paid less on reserves, there are more students per teacher and there are fewer resources.
*
* Federal schools have a pupil-teacher ratio that is 20% higher than in provincial schools
* Educational qualifications are lower in federal schools
* Partially reflects an unwillingness to teach on reserves
* Outstanding teachers move to the cities
* Reserve schools do not have the backup resources e.g. curriculum development specialists and language consultants
* Many teachers on reserves are unable to secure jobs elsewhere

Back 4

* Many teachers on reserves are unable to secure jobs elsewhere
* Since creation of band schools they have been subject to political battles
* Unlike the provincial education systems, there are no min legislation education standards for on-reserve FN students
* No legislated mandate for a core curriculum meeting provincial standards
* No requirement educations in FN schools to have provincial certification
* No requirement for FN schools to award a recognized provincial diploma

Front 5

1. Conflicts in methods
2. More relational thinker but taught to be independent thinkers
3. Integrated schools competition is greater which is contrary to Aboriginal values
4. Substandard schools
5. Aboriginal communities does not place high value on obtaining an education
6. Educational system seen as an outside racist institution to be tolerated but not supported
7. Lack of reinforcement of education in families
8. Discrimination in provincial schools; lack of support system
9. Poor image of themselves projected by the mass media including films and books used in school
10. Teachers not Aboriginal -- unfamiliar with the language and the culture
11. Poor attendance

Back 5

1. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
2. Many students in intermediate and senior high school are parents and have limited access to daycare
3. Some students leave school to seek employment, perceiving school as irrelevant to career goals
4. English is usually the language of instruction; second language to many students
5. Social/emotional distress at home
6. Substance abuse
7. Many students dislike the structured environment of school and will avoid it rather than learn how to function within it
8. Difficult for students to understand context that conflicts/stands in contrast to heir personal life experiences
9.

Front 6

Curriculum:

* Until the 1970s the educational curriculum was assimilationist
* Because the federal government does not run the educational system it relies on provincial governments for curricula and standards
* Curriculum in many First Nations schools is the same as for white middle class students in all public schools
* Although each band can enter into agreements with the Crown
* Distorted reflection of the Aboriginal in the curriculum often devalues their worldviews, perspectives, values and issues
* No affirmation of Aboriginal identity

Back 6

* Educational system is alien and meaningless in the context of life on a reserve
* Subject matter is generally irrelevant to Aboriginal people in everyday life
* Curriculum has improved but in remote reserves lack of locally developed material means much of the Aboriginal content derives from
* First Nations bands in central and Western Canada

Front 7

School Attendance:

* Most First Nation children used to attend federal schools until grade 6 and then switch to provincial schools for their secondary education
* Few provincial schools have more than 5% Aboriginal students
* Many students thus suffer culture shock being culturally and linguistically isolated from the rest of the school population.
* A serious disruptive influence both socially and academically

Back 7

* 43% of Aboriginals do not finish high school; 16% national average
* 58% living in a First Nations community did not finish high school
* In cities 1/3 did not finish
* Trend though is to remain in school - Especially with the band schools
* Despite improvement, the gap in educational attainment between Aboriginal and other Canadian youth remains at over 10 per cent
*

Front 8

Education Attainment:

* e.g. graduated from elementary school
* even larger gap for completing high school
* Few go into post secondary education 23% as opposed to 38%
* women have been more successful in post secondary education than men
* Inuit women have the lowest level of education attainment
* historically though they have increased their educational attainment over the last 25 yrs
* but so have non-aboriginals and so the gap does not narrow.

Back 8

* Most Aboriginals enrolled in education are at the semi-skilled or lower level
* 1960 Only 200 Aboriginals enrolled in college
* 1995 25 000, 2001 30,000
* 2001 Less than 10% enrolled in university while 31.2% of non-aboriginal
* Only about ¼ enrolled in university graduate

Front 9

Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP): provides financial assistance to Status Indian and Inuit students who are enrolled in eligible post-secondary programs

* Tuition
* Cost of books and supplies required
* Travel support -- funding to return home twice per academic year
* Living expenses for full time students to help cover costs; food, shelter, transport
*

Back 9

* About $300m annually
* Funding for 23,000 FN students ($13k)
* Allocated based on National Program Guidelines established by AANDC
* Administration of program is done through FN which determines funding and selection criteria in accordance with national guidelines
* Some bands have had to turn down some students who apply for funding

Front 10

Indian Status Support Program (ISSP):

Back 10

provides financial assistance to post-secondary institutions for the design and delivery of college/university level courses for FN and Inuit students, including research and development of FN and Inuit education

Front 11

indspire (formally The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation (NAAF)):

Back 11

* A nationally registered non-profit organization
* Raises funds to deliver programs for Aboriginal youth
* NAAF also provides scholarships and bursaries to FN, Inuit and Metis

Front 12

First Nations University of Canada: 1976 as Saskatchewan Indian Federated College;

* Associated with University of Regina
* 1st FN-controlled degree-granting post-secondary education institution in Canada
* Officially opened June 21, 2003
* Not restricted to those of FN descent

Back 12

* Offers special programs in partnership in Aboriginal communities to meet the human resource needs of Aboriginal communities in areas such as health, education and environment
* Both federal and provincial governments withheld funding
* Restored June 2010

Front 13

First Nations Jurisdiction over Education Art (BC): 2007; FN Jurisdiction over Education Art came into effect in BC

* BC FN Education Steering Committee allows FN Education Authority to function in a way of a school board
* Providing teacher and school certification
* Setting standards for culturally relevant curriculum and examinations for participating FN
* Participating FN can make laws in relation to standards for curriculum and exams for graduation requirements, and certification of teachers
*

Back 13

* Provincially recognized
* Participating FN operated schools can only be exercised after an Education CO-Management Agreement is signed between participating FN and FN Education Authority
* Similar to agreement in New Brunswick

Front 14

Education Partnerships Program: launched Dec 2008

* Tripartite agreement between federal government (AANDC) provincial education authorities and regional FN organizations
* Oct 2010: Saskatchewan Tribal Councils signs a memorandum of understanding
* Partnership involves seven FN and seven band-operated schools

Back 14

Focus in reforming FN education grounded on: 1. Accountability for education
2. Partnerships with willing provinces and FN
3. Access to comparable education -- to ensure that FN education offers provincially comparable programs and services
4.

Front 15

Bill C-33, First Nation Control of First Nations Education Act: introduced April 20, 2014

* FN schools design curriculums to ensure students can transfer seamlessly between schools on/off reserve
* Students to meet minimum attendance requirements
* Teachers are properly certified
* FN schools award widely recognized diplomas/certificate

Back 15

* Funding of $1.9b that increases at annual rate of 4.5%
* Will create a Joint Council of Education Professionals, comprised of experts in education, to provide advice to FN on implementation of the Act, and on the development of regulations and improve education system
* Chiefs accuse Atelo of selling out FN by siding with government on its education bill without consulting them sufficiently
* May 5: government puts bill on hold