National panel urges action on First Nations education

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This article was published 09/02/2012 (5244 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA — It would be morally and fiscally irresponsible to ignore the “startling gaps” facing First Nations students, says a national panel that is calling for a First Nations education act within 18 months.

The act would set standards, govern operations and ensure sustainable funding is in place so First Nations kids have the same chance at a quality education as every other child in Canada.

“Children aren’t failing, it’s the system that is failing them,” panel member George Lafond said Wednesday.

The panel was appointed by Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo.

The graduation rate on reserves is less than half that of kids off reserve, the panel reported, and kids without a high school diploma are twice as likely to be unemployed and more likely to end up in trouble with the law.

The results are not surprising considering the shortcomings in education provided to First Nations, including few assessments to track student progress, little if any assessment of kids with disabilities, limited curricula to support math and science programs and poor athletic and recreational programming and facilities. There are also no consistent practices or regulations for teacher certification or assessment, school attendance, school calendars or discipline.

At least 100 schools on First Nations were deemed to be unsafe by the panel but there was no plan in place for fixing them. Panel chairman Scott Haldane said even in brand-new schools, there was often a lack of resources such as library books.

Haldane said the most startling things he saw or heard in the panel’s work came from First Nations kids themselves. “They have every potential of any young people in the country but they just feel they can’t get there,” he said.

Reserve schools are funded by Ottawa, but repeated studies have shown the per-pupil funding is less than half of that for kids who attend off-reserve schools funded by the provinces.

The panel recommended for the 2012-13 school year that Ottawa increase funding to bring up teacher salaries so they match what off-reserve teachers are paid. First Nations schools should also get a bump in funding in 2012-13 equal to what off-reserve schools in their provinces are receiving from the provincial government.

Future funding should be dictated by legislation to ensure schools receive the funding they need depending on their individual circumstances, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to funding.

The panel also recommended the establishment of regional education organizations that give the same structure and supports as do public school systems in the provinces.

To get moving on the legislation and other recommendations, the panel wants Ottawa and the Assembly of First Nations to appoint a national commission for First Nations education within three monthsthat would keep watch over education for all First Nations children in Canada.

Duncan said the panel delivered a “very good report” but he gave no sense of when or if the government would move on any of the recommendations.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca