As I researched inequalities in education, I was heartened to learn that in 2019 Trudeau addressed the issue of disparities in education for Indigenous children living on reserves, by ensuring that those educated on reserves receive the same amount of funding as children educated elsewhere in the province. This gap, in 2016, was as big as $665 million, even after the Liberal government had committed to 2.6 billion over five years.
I discovered that the Canadian government has been aware of this disparity for over 30 years, with “David Crombie, then minister of Indian and Northern Affairs in the Brian Mulroney government, wrote: “My department is concerned that funding for Indian schools should be equivalent to that provided by the provinces, and is making every effort to ensure that this will take place” in 1986.
This relates to TRC 8. "We call upon the federal government to eliminate the discrepancy in federal education funding for First Nations children being educated on reserves and those First Nations children being educated off reserves."
Another thing that I wanted to add, which has been very apparent in the discussions that we have had in this course, is the disparity between boards and regions in the inclusion of Indigenous content in the school curriculum. In my research about the implementation of TRC recommendation of Indigenous content, I was made aware of major disparities between the provinces in their implementation of Call to Action
62 which states” We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, in consultation and collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal peoples, and educators, to: i. Make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for Kindergarten to Grade Twelve students” and 63 which calls “upon the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Aboriginal education issues, including: i. Developing and implementing Kindergarten to Grade Twelve curriculum and learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools.
ii. Sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Aboriginal history.
iii. Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect.
iv. Identifying teacher-training needs relating to the above.
An interesting look at this info is here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/indigenous-content-school-curriculums-trc-1.530
This is the element of education where I feel that I can make the most impact, in the development of practices which develop student and teachers capacity of intercultural understanding, and the sharing of best practices with regards to the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and curriculum regarding Residential Schools. I think this course is an example of a way that I (and all of us!) have taken action in response to the TRC report, and we will take these stratégies, knowledge and practices back to our own classrooms, schools and boards across the province.
Source: http://www.nccah-ccnsa.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/17/Education%20(English).pdf
"Mainstream skills such as literacy and numeracy are important in ensuring that Aboriginal people are able to compete in the labour market and thus improve their socio-economic circumstances. Equally important for Aboriginal people, land, the knowledge and skills in and from place, language and culture are integral parts of the learning and education process" (Education as a Social Determinant of First Nations, Inuit and Metis Health, page 1). Therefore, the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge and heritage is integral to helping Aboriginal children develop a strong sense of self-identity while developing the skills needed to succeed in today's society. Unfortunately, Canada has failed to meet the educational needs of Aboriginal children and there is still a wide gap in between educational attainment between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. The article states that "23.1% of non-Aboriginal people age 15 and older failed to attain high school graduation, 43.7% of all Aboriginal people failed to do so" (Education as a Social Determinant of First Nations, Inuit and Metis Health, p. 2). The 2006 census also reports that only 4.1% of Aboriginal people have an undergraduate degree compared to 11.9% of the non-Aboriginal population.
The Department of Northern Affairs provides a Post-Secondary Education program to financially assist FNMI students wishing to further their education. Unfortunately, the program has been capped at 2% annual growth since 1996, despite an increase in Aboriginal population. It is also important to note that Metis and Non-Status First Nation students are not eligible to apply for the program. There are other barriers for Aboriginal people wishing to obtain a post-secondary education that stem from the trauma inflicted on Aboriginal people by Canada's assimilation policies. "Social barriers can include unequal access to resources for reserve and remote schools, lack of role models, discrimination, high levels of unemployment, and poverty, resulting in inadequate academic preparation for post-secondary education. Geographic barriers can include those stemming from a need to relocate to access post-secondary education opportunities" (Education as a Social Determinant of First Nations, Inuit and Metis Health, page 2).
Connection to the TRC's Calls to Action:
Sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Aboriginal history.
Identifying teacher-training needs relating to the above.
Provide the necessary funding to post-secondary institutions to educate teachers on how to integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into classrooms.
Provide the necessary funding to Aboriginal schools to utilize Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods in classrooms.
We call upon post-secondary institutions to create university and college degree and diploma programs in Aboriginal languages.
We call upon the federal government to provide adequate funding to end the backlog of First Nations students seeking a post-secondary education.
Article 14 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People states:
Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning.
Indigenous individuals, particularly children, have the right to all levels and forms of education of the State without discrimination.
States shall, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, take effective measures, in order for indigenous individuals, particularly children, including those living outside their communities, to have access, when possible, to an education in their own culture and provided in their own language.
By strengthening Aboriginal content, identity, values and knowledge systems into our teaching practice, we help to honour the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. Further, it is important to raise awareness about the Post-Secondary Education Program and put pressure on our government to remove the 2% increase cap.
Note: This article was published in 2010. Although it is dated, I found it quite informative. However, I need to confirm whether the Post-Secondary Education Program cap has been lifted.
What action is being taken to address this inequity? (Generally)
I visited the Indigenous Services Canada website, and click on the “First Nations Education Transformation” page.
https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1476967841178/1531399315241
There, I was able to read many documents from 1996 – 2013 that show government attempts to look at education gaps for FNMI students and propose changes. Some of my observations were:
- It seems that the government is starting to recognize the need for First Nations Control over First Nations education, and is starting to implement policies that say so.
- There are lofty goals, including creating agreed upon First Nations Curriculum, training FNMI teachers, and creating FNMI school boards. This is just my initial observation, but FNMI reserves and communities are going to need substantially more funding, to support these programming initiatives. This doesn’t even touch on badly needed infrastructure improvements!!!
https://sencanada.ca/content/sen/committee/411/appa/rep/rep03dec11-e.pdf
-Even still, the Federal government recognizes that it is responsible for maintaining on reserve First Nation education (at least in writing)
- Closing the gap is going to continue to be difficult, because the general non-native population is attaining higher education in larger numbers (it’s a moving target)
“In 2000 report to Parliament, the Auditor General of Canada estimated that it would take over twenty years, at the current rate of progress, for First Nations students to reach parity in academic achievement with other Canadians. This number rose to 28 years in a 2004 follow-up report, due to rapidly improving outcomes in the broader Canadian population.” (pg 17)
https://sencanada.ca/content/sen/committee/411/appa/rep/rep03dec11-e.pdf
Some Current Examples:
A Positive Current Example
In the same report that I read, above, titled REFORMING FIRST NATIONS EDUCATION: FROM CRISIS TO HOPE: Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples December 2011, they cited some specific examples of communities that underwent recent reform. I looked into the Mi’Kmaq Nation on Pg 12-13:
Mi’kmaq Education Act (1998), and created the Final Agreement with respect to Mi’kmaq Education in Nova Scotia. This was the first tripartite education agreement (federal, provincial, First Nations) to provide for the transfer of jurisdiction for education to Eleven Mi’kmaq First Nations, with 12,656 members.
The agreement says that First Nations education laws about education on reserves will be considered first, over provincial education laws.
Seven of the ten Mi’kmaq communities control and manage elementary and/or secondary schools on reserve.
Two schools: Wagmatcook and Eskasoni, havedeveloped extensive Mi’kmaq immersion and secondary programs, with graduation rates above the national average for band-operated schools. Mi’kmaq teachers have been trained. Band-operated schools have enjoyed stable enrolment, and a culturally-relevant curriculum has been developed.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/mi-kmaw-education-authority-nova-scotia-1.5056481
Less positive examples and statistics:
https://www.cbc.ca/cbcdocspov/features/first-nations-schools-are-chronically-underfunded
FIRST NATIONS SCHOOLS ARE CHRONICALLY UNDERFUNDED
This article explains the situation of FNMI education in Canada quite well. The main points are:
For First Nations to stay in control of First Nations education, they need to be federally funded.
Non-native schools in Canada are provincially funded. For example, Evan Taypotat is the newly-elected chief of the Kahkewistahaw First Nation. He reports that:
“The average funding for a reserve kid is about $6,800. The funding for a kid in Broadview, which is about 10 minutes away, is $11,000.”
Part of the problem is that federal funding was capped at 2% in the 1990s, which is way below the rate of inflation. Also of note is that the FNMI youth population is rapidly growing, increasing the need for more adequate funding.
- He also mentions the lack of funding for students with special needs.
Also linked with this article is a documentary about an all First Nations spelling bee, that addresses underfunding of First Nations schools.
https://gem.cbc.ca/media/cbc-docs-pov/season-1/episode-1/38e815a-00ceb7c9cbe
Which TRC calls to action address this issue?
The TRC Calls to Action that address this issue are under “education”, items 8, 9 & 10.
We call upon the federal government to eliminate the discrepancy in federal education funding for First Nations children being educated on reserves and those First Nations children being educated off reserves.
We call upon the federal government to prepare and publish annual reports comparing funding for the education of First Nations children on and off reserves, as well as educational and income attainments of Aboriginal peoples in Canada compared with non- Aboriginal people.
We call on the federal government to draft new Aboriginal education legislation with the full participation and informed consent of Aboriginal peoples. The new legislation would include a commitment to sufficient funding and would incorporate the following principles:
Providing sufficient funding to close identified educational achievement gaps within one generation.
Improving education attainment levels and success rates.
Developing culturally appropriate curricula.
Protecting the right to Aboriginal languages, including the teaching of Aboriginal languages as credit courses.
Enabling parental and community responsibility, control, and accountability, similar to what parents enjoy in public school systems.
Enabling parents to fully participate in the education of their children.
Respecting and honouring Treaty relationships.
I think the government has started to work on #9, publishing information about funding . The information on funding is out there! Again, this reminds me of our constant studying our First Nations issues, but not providing enough action.
I think there is some work being done on #10, working towards First Nations control over First Nations education. The problem is, there is a lot of First Nation distrust of the Canadian government, especially around education.
What specific actions could be undertaken locally to change this inequity?
I'm not sure how much and how fast the below ideas could affect change, but here are some ideas about what I have read:
Communities could:
- Create social movements that create social awareness
- Social awareness could be used to:
-Lobby the government
-Fundraise to improve schools
- Encourage local youth to pursue education training, to be part of new school systems controlled by First Nations.
- Band Council members & Hereditary Chiefs need to be open to working with the province and Canada to take control over their education systems. This is easier said than done due to generations of harm and mistrust. Perhaps they could look to FNMI communities that have already achieved success in this area. (B.C., Nova Scotia, are some leaders)
- FNMI communities working with the provincial and federal government to take control over education of their nation, should start implementing small changes, gradually, and create ongoing dialogue