What's New - March 2007

Issues in Aboriginal Education

Alberta Education
Alberta Education offers the following policy documents, and curriculum support resources of interest to those involved in Aboriginal education programming.

Assembly of First Nations
http://www.afn.ca

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada. The AFN web site offers links to several publications, one of which is the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at 10 Years: A Report Card (http://www.afn.ca/cmslib/general/afn_rcap.pdf). This report suggests failing grades in terms of many of the Commission's recommendations related to education, including: recognition of education as a core area of Aboriginal self-government (First Nations education remains under the administrative confines imposed by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada); cooperation to support an integrated early childhood funding strategy; fulfillment of the federal government obligations to treaty nations for the support of a full range of education services including post secondary education; collaboration with Aboriginal governments to establish and support post secondary institutions controlled by Aboriginal people; and the establishment of an Aboriginal Peoples' International University and a Canada-Wide Aboriginal Human Resources Inventory.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: CBC News In Depth, Aboriginal Canadians
Copyright © CBC 2007
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/aboriginals/index.html

The CBC News In Depth: Aboriginal Canadians page provides information ranging from a 10-year report on the progress of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (see http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/aboriginals/status-report2006.html) to information about the Oka crisis and residential schools. In addition, the CBC web site (http://www.cbc.ca) offers several articles on the topic of Aboriginal education. Using 'Aboriginal education' as keywords for a site-based search, several archived articles of interest were presented including:

• Report card issued on Aboriginal education; Thursday, February 5, 2004; 1:36 PM PT; This article suggests that not enough is being done to address issues in Aboriginal education. which refers to a Fraser Institute report card on Aboriginal education in British Columbia (see http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/shared/readmore.asp?sNav=pb&id=629), Yet, it also describes apparent successes of Edmonton's Amiskwaciy Academy. See http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2004/02/05/bc_fnstudents20040205.html for more information.
• Low aboriginal graduation rates a concern for all Canadians; Thursday, August 10, 2006; 8:14 PM ET: The article recommends urgent action is needed to address the issue of graduation rates among Aboriginal youth. Census data is quoted including the finding that 58% of on-reserve Aboriginal people between the ages of 20 and 24 had not graduated from high school. Among all people across Canada, the comparable 2001 rate was 16%. In Alberta, the rate among Aboriginal youth was 61%. See http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2006/08/10/aboriginal-graduates.html for more information.
• A timeline of residential schools; CBC News Online, September 21, 2006: This article describes activities related to schooling Aboriginal youth from the mid-1600s when boarding schools were established by the R¨¦collets, the Jesuits, and the Ursulines to late 2006 when the $2-billion compensation package for aboriginal people who were forced to attend residential schools was announced. See http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/aboriginals/ timeline_residentialschools.html for more information.
• Reading, writing, medicine wheel?; Monday, October 30, 2006; 12:10 PM ET; This article raises concerns by teachers and an Aboriginal activist about requirements related to Aboriginal content in the recently released social studies curriculum in Manitoba. See http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2006/10/30/aboriginal-education.html for more information.

Canadian Council on Learning, Report on Learning in Canada (January 2007), State of Learning in Canada: No Time for Complacency
http://www.ccl-cca.ca/NR/rdonlyres/5ACD85E3-4D4F-410D-B017-F5270CD3060D /0/SOLR_SummaryBrochure_Online_EN.pdf

State of Learning in Canada: No Time for Complacency is the first in a series of annual reports published by the Canadian Council on Learning (http://www.ccl-cca.ca). This report provides an overview of key aspects of learning in Canada and includes a review of research that reveals that results in learning measures are lagging for Aboriginal people (see Chapter 5). Key challenges that inhibit learning success for Aboriginal people have been identified in the report, including economic, health and social issues such as:

• Common barriers related to unemployment, poverty and unsuitable living conditions;
• Poor health (e.g., diabetes among Aboriginal people occurs at rates three to five times higher than in the general Canadian population); and
• Higher rates of suicide and substance abuse. Further, using a wide range of research into learning among Aboriginal people, the report reveals that:
• Aboriginal children are less likely than their parents or Elders to speak an ancestral language;
• Of Canada's 50 or so Aboriginal languages, half are considered at risk of extinction and only Inuktitut, Cree, and Ojibway are considered 'safe';
• While some immersion or bilingual programming in Aboriginal communities exists, there is no comprehensive research on the number of programs or their impact;
• Nine in 10 Aboriginal children lack access to early childhood programming designed for them; and
• Aboriginal youth remain two-and-a-half times more likely than non-Aboriginal Canadians to drop out of high school.

While the report concludes that more Aboriginal youth are finishing school and entering post-secondary education, Aboriginal languages are endangered and the effects of persistent poverty are hindering progress among Aboriginal youth.

In addition to other recommendations, the report calls for approaches to learning that reflect community values. Paul Cappon, CEO of the Council says, "Substantial action needs to be taken to repair what exists on the Aboriginal learning landscape and enhance it to better meet the needs of Aboriginal people of all ages." He goes on the say that, "Aboriginal communities have traditional, holistic views on how people learn in their societies. We need to work to integrate their perspectives with Western perspectives and models."

The full report is available at www.ccl-cca.ca/solr.

Office of the Auditor General of Canada, 2004 Report of the Auditor General of Canada (November), Chapter 5: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - Education Program and Post-Secondary Student Support
http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/html/20041105ce.html

This November 2004 Auditor General's report indicates that many Aboriginal students and communities face fundamental issues and challenges that are more prevalent for them than for other Canadians and may impede their educational achievement. These include health problems; poor economic conditions; racism; and issues related to geography and demography (see excerpts from Appendix A below for more details). Despite these impediments, the report also notes examples of successful elementary and secondary education initiatives by First Nations that could be adopted across Canada (e.g., the First Nations Education Steering Committee in British Columbia (see Successful First Nations Initiatives at http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/html/20041105se01.html in education for more information).

Excerpts from Appendix A-Issues and challenges in First Nations education

• Jurisdiction: Aboriginal people living on reserves receive education funding from the federal government, but are required to follow teacher and curriculum standards from the provincial government. Jurisdictional issues create uncertainty, instability, and confusion in terms of program delivery (e.g., it is unclear who is responsible for funding the education of Aboriginal children whose parents have temporarily moved off a reserve).
• Geography and demography: Many Aboriginal people live on reserves located in special access areas or in remote regions. These communities and their schools tend to be small and often have difficulty providing a range of educational services.
• Parental involvement: Many Aboriginal parents face significant challenges in the early years of their children's education, have negative perceptions of formal education, and are often a single-parent (32% of families on reserves are single-parent families).
• Health problems: Serious health problems exist among Aboriginal populations, including fetal alcohol syndrome, diabetes, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. Some reserves also lack basic services (e.g., adequate housing and running water). These problems can lead to lower attendance rates and increased special education needs.
• Economic conditions: Average unemployment rates on reserves are significantly higher than the Canadian average. Poor economic conditions on reserves can be viewed as both a cause and an effect of lower educational outcomes.
• Racism: Racism continues to be an obstacle for many Aboriginal students, especially those attending schools located off reserves. Low expectations for First Nations students from their teachers are probably the most pervasive form of racism in education.
• Teacher recruitment and retention: Many reserves have difficulty attracting and retaining qualified teachers, due to difficulties in paying competitive salaries; a lack of housing and other private and public services, especially in remote locations; and a lack of professional training and systemic support.

Important Note: The quoted source for these statements was "Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and other publications; discussions with departmental officials and First Nations representatives (unaudited)."

Statistics Canada, Aboriginal Peoples of Canada - A Demographic Profile
http://www.statcan.ca/menu-en.htm

A portion of the Statistics Canada web site offers a demographic profile of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada gleaned from the 2001 Census (see http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/analytic/companion/abor/ canada.cfm for more details). The findings are summarized below:

• The Aboriginal share of Canada's total population is on the rise (now 3.3%) with the largest gains coming from the Métis population (Métis numbers increased 43% from 1996 to 2001);
• The Aboriginal population is much younger than the non-Aboriginal population, but it is aging (their median age of 24.7 is 13 years younger than the non-Aboriginal median age of 37.7. One third of the Aboriginal population is under age 15, compared with 19% of the non-Aboriginal population);
• One-quarter of Aboriginal people could conduct a conversation in an Aboriginal language;
• Aboriginal children are less likely to live with both parents (twice the proportion of Aboriginal children lived with a single parent in 2001 as did non-Aboriginal children. On reserves, 32% of Aboriginal children lived with a single parent. This percentage jumped to 46% for those in the census metropolitan areas);
• Highest concentrations of Aboriginal populations live in the North and on the Prairies (Aboriginal people in Alberta accounted for 5% of its population); and
• About one-half of Aboriginal people live in urban areas and are more mobile (more than one in five Aboriginal people moved in the year before the 2001 Census).

Statistics Canada also provides information specific to education at http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/11-008-XIE/0030311-008-XIE.pdf. The statistics offered on this page indicate that the education gap is narrowing slightly between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. For example, between 1996 and 2001, the proportion of 25- to 64-year-old Aboriginal people with a high school diploma increased from 21% to 23%, the percentage of those with post-secondary credentials increased from 33% to 38%, and the share without high school diplomas was down substantially from 45% to 39%. Working-age Aboriginal people were more likely to have a trade certificate (16%) than their non-Aboriginal counterparts (13%), while 15% of Aboriginal and 18% of non-Aboriginal individuals of working age had a college education.

The gap remained wide for university graduates however. Eight percent of the Aboriginal working-age population had a university education, compared with 23% of non-Aboriginals.

Additional statistical information can be found on the page entitled 'National Aboriginal Day¡­ by the numbers' (June 21, 2005) at http://www42.statcan.ca/smr08/smr08_007_e.htm. Statistics describing

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Canadian Polar Commission and Indian Specific Claims Commission (2006-2007) Section II - Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rpp/0607/INAC-AINC/inac-ainc02_e.asp

The 'Education Program Activity' section of this report speaks to the objectives of increased educational attainment and improved skills for employability. The expected results include:

• On-reserve students having access to elementary and secondary programs and services that are reasonably comparable to programs and services available in public schools in the province or territory in which the reserve is located;
• On-reserve students with moderate to profound special education needs having access to elementary and secondary programs and services that are reasonably comparable to those available in public schools in the province or territory in which the reserve is located, which will allow them to maximize their learning potential and learning outcomes;
• Eligible First Nations and Inuit students benefiting from post-secondary education opportunities; and
• Preserving and revitalizing First Nations and Inuit cultures and languages within the education system and through cultural education centres.

The Department's plans, milestones and timeframes are captured in the table below.

Note: For more information about Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and their programs and services see http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/index_e.html.

Western and Northern Canadian Protocol, Aboriginal Language and Culture Project
http://www.wncp.ca

The purpose of The Common Curriculum Framework for Aboriginal Language and Culture Programs, Kindergarten to Grade 12 is to support the revitalization and enhancement of Aboriginal languages. The Framework consists of learning outcomes in the areas of culture and language, sequenced in six developmental levels. The cultural content is organized around Aboriginal "laws of relationships." First and second language outcomes are tied to the cultural outcomes in various implicit and explicit ways.

The specified outcomes are an attempt to address the need for cooperation and accountability in Aboriginal language and culture programs. Teachers, schools, administrators and trustees require a common language to communicate their objectives and goals. The Framework is designed to meet that need. It is also a way of identifying the important elements of Aboriginal education and ensuring that they are included in the planning and preparation of a program. This approach is not meant to contradict the Aboriginal perspective, which is characterized by holism and spiralled learning.