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5. Education
From Canadian History Portal - HCO
Many changes have taken place in the education of Aboriginal peoples. With the end of residential schools, the study of First Nations’ history and issues in schools, universities and colleges across Canada, and the growing number of Aboriginal peoples who become teachers and university professors the educational achievements of Aboriginal students have been steadily increasing over the last three decades. An overview of educational issues and Aboriginal peoples gives some insight into the progress to help Aboriginal people gain the education they need, and the difficulties that still have to be overcome.
The Legacy of Aboriginal Education
Many Aboriginal peoples have a very different relationship to schools than other Canadians. Part of this stems from the legacy of residential schools. First Nations people who attended residential schools may perceive education as a means to acculturate their children. Their bad experiences in schools can lead to a belief that education is not worthwhile. Such beliefs can be passed on to their children who may also lose interest in formal education. Residential schools are examined in section two of this textbook.
Early aboriginal education (in the 1800s and through much of the 1900s) was not equal to what was provided to other Canadians. Starting in the 1830s Christian missionaries established schools and communities for First Nations people. These communities were designed to acculturate First Nations people: to convince them to abandon their culture and become farmers and Christians. Many First Nations people realized the need to learn farming, but resisted losing their language, religions and customs.
Starting in 1867 the government of Canada started building schools specifically for First Nations children. Known as residential schools, they were run by Christian missionaries (i.e.: Catholic, Protestant, or Anglican). These schools designed to acculturate Native children. Students were forbidden to speak their own language. They were taught to be Christian as well. The Canadian government and the teachers wanted First Nations people to give up their culture and heritage.
Students also did not receive either a good academic or trades education. Very few of the teachers were qualified, and schools had few resources to help students. First Nations students were taught reading, writing and math but it was not to the same level as regular schools in Canada. It was a common belief at that time that First Nations children were not as smart as other children. Teachers believed First Nations children could not learn advanced material. Students did not even receive good trades training at residential schools. They were taught very basic skills. They did not receive training to become carpenters or blacksmiths or (as Canada moved into the twentieth century) electricians, mechanics or plumbers. Students at regular Canadian schools had the chance to learn how to become trades people, graduate, and find good jobs. First Nations students were not given the opportunity to reach their full potential as individuals.
One historian, James Miller, has written a book about residential schools called Shingwauk’s Vision. Dr. Miller calls this attitude towards Native students the “buckskin ceiling.” Today some people talk about a “glass ceiling.” People from certain ethnic groups and women can only advance so far in their careers because of the prejudice of others. Miller argues the same beliefs existed in Indian residential schools about the students. It limited their chances because they did not receive an education that was equal to other Canadians.
Education of First Nations students changed in the 1950s. The government slowly began to get rid of residential schools (although the last one was not closed until the 1980s). It started building day schools on reserves, or integrating Aboriginal students into nearby public schools. However, this did little to help Aboriginal students. The drop out rate of Native students remained very high (96% did not finish high school in 1960).[1] In 1971 the Canadian House of Commons issued a report outlining the problems facing Aboriginal students. In addition to the drop out rate it stated that:
- Low levels of education were the cause of a high unemployment rate amongst First Nations
- First Nations history and contributions to Canada were not found in school textbooks
- Very few teachers had training in cross-cultural education, and even fewer (less than 10%) spoke an Aboriginal language.[2]
This led the National Indian Brotherhood (which later became the Assembly of First Nations) to issue its own report in 1972: Indian Control of Indian Education. It said First Nations should control their own schools to help their children receive the education they deserve. In its report the NIB wrote:
- Our aim is to make education relevant to the philosophy and needs of Indian people. We want education to give our children a strong sense of identity with confidence in their personal worth and ability. We believe in education…
- …as a preparation for total living.
- …as a means of free choice of where to live and work.
- …as a means of enabling us to participate fully in our own social, economic, political and educational advancement.[3]
The Canadian Minister of Indian Affairs, Jean Chrétien, agreed with this. In 1973 it became the policy of the Department of Indian Affairs.
Development of First Nations Studies
An important development in First Nations education has been the inclusion of First Nations peoples in the classes, courses and curriculum that is offered to students across Canada. In the last forty years there has been continual growth in the number of First Nations programs and classes being offered in universities, colleges, high schools and elementary schools.
Including First Nations people in textbooks and curriculum is important. Aboriginal people across Canada and throughout history have made important contributions to Canadian history, politics, art, literature, law and many other fields. Including these contributions in classrooms and books does two things. First, it shows other Canadians how important Aboriginal people are to Canada, and counters the negative stereotypes that are often in the media. Second, it provides Aboriginal students with role models and examples of what they can accomplish.
This change in how Aboriginal peoples are treated in classrooms can be traced back to the late 1960s. In 1969 the Canadian government introduced the Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian Policy. It is usually referred to as the White Paper. A white paper is a government statement on what its policy will be about a specific issue. In the White Paper on Indian Policy, as outlined in other chapters, the government stated it wanted to get rid of things such as: Indian Status, treaties and treaty rights, abolish the Indian Act, and make the provinces (not the federal government) responsible for Indian affairs. First Nations groups reacted against this policy very strongly. Eventually the government dropped the White Paper.
The reaction of Aboriginal groups showed Canadians that First Nations people have a strong political voice, and that their issues and concerns could not be ignored. Students in graduate schools across Canada began to research and write theses on First Nations’ history, legal issues, social issues and other things. As these students graduated and took positions in universities and colleges they taught Native studies to their students. They wrote articles and books on Aboriginal issues to inform others about what they had learned.
Eventually academic journals concerned only with Native studies were created. The Canadian Journal of Native Studies and the Native Studies Review are two examples. These are primarily history journals. Others appeared that dealt with Native legal issues (such as treaty and Aboriginal rights), sociology and social issues, political and government policy, and Aboriginal schooling. Conferences were held by academics and university professors that dealt only with Aboriginal issues.
Soon universities created specific Native Studies departments (today some are referred to as First Nations Studies Departments or Indigenous Studies Departments). Professors with various backgrounds could now work together and share ideas and research about First Nations and Métis people. In addition most university departments (i.e.: history, English, sociology, social work, and other programs) have one or more professors who specialize in First Nations people.
First Nations Studies in Elementary and High Schools
In a number of provinces there are also courses devoted to First Nations people. British Columbia, the prairie provinces, Ontario, the three territories, and some Maritime provinces offer courses to high school students on Aboriginal history and issues. Courses are offered to students starting in grade 9 and can be taken up to and including grade 12. There are also language courses. In Ontario, for example, a student can take courses in certain Aboriginal languages such as Cree or Ojibwa.
First Nations Schools
In addition to these developments there has been a growing trend for First Nations communities to take control of their own schools. This was done for a number of reasons. First, as will be outlined later in this chapter, First Nations students are less likely to complete high school compared to other students. It is hoped that schools run by First Nations communities will be better able to help students finish high school. Control of schools is also part of the move towards increasing self-government for First Nations. By 2003 there were 502 schools in reserves across Canada. All but 8 of these schools are run by First Nations people. Enrollment levels have also increased. In 1991-1992 there were approximately 96,000 First Nations students enrolled in elementary and secondary schools. This increased to over 112,000 students by 2000.[4]
First Nations schools are also starting programs to help keep students in high school longer, and increase the number who graduate. In northern Ontario several schools have started specific programs to accomplish this. In Fort Hope students who achieve high grades in their courses take part in a two week moose hunt away from school. They learn science, map skills and history during this hunt. At Lansdown House the elementary school principal has started offering grade 9 classes to students to help prepare them for high school (students in the community have to leave to complete high school). Other schools have started offering weekly classes in the local indigenous culture and history.[5] Similar programs are offered in schools across Canada. The Bigstone Cree Nation in Alberta links with elders in their community to teach students about their culture and heritage. The Wiinibekuu School in Waskaganish Quebec has a similar program.
Increasing the number of First Nations people who graduate from high school makes it more likely they will proceed to university, trades training, college or some other type of post-secondary training. In 1988, for example, there were a little more than 14,000 Aboriginal students enrolled in universities and colleges across Canada. By 1996 this increased to over 27,000.[6]
Training Aboriginal Teachers
School boards across Canada are trying to recruit more Aboriginal teachers. Aboriginal students need to be taught by more Aboriginal teachers. There are many reasons why Aboriginal teachers are needed in the school system.
In remote communities new teachers from larger southern cities often leave after a few years (or in some cases a few months). They find the culture shock of living in a different community and culture, often in a remote community, too difficult. As a result there is no teacher continuity in the schools. There are no teachers who spend their career, or a large part of their careers, in the school learning about the students and the community. Community members, therefore, will not trust new teachers who will probably leave after a short period of time.
Providing Aboriginal students with Aboriginal teachers, therefore, is an effort to help students succeed in school. A number of faculties of education at universities across Canada offer Aboriginal teacher certification programs. These programs allow Aboriginal students to complete their teacher training, and return to their communities to teach in elementary schools. Those teachers who have or then work towards getting their undergraduate degree can become high school teachers.
Despite these programs, hiring and retaining First Nations and Métis teachers is a challenge for a number of schools. In some provinces, such as Saskatchewan, Aboriginal peoples are an ever increasing percentage of the total population. School boards want to hire teachers who reflect the communities they teach in. The Saskatchewan School Boards Research Association (SSBRA) has realized this. The SSBRA and the directors of education in Saskatchewan (the people who run the various school boards) have noted a number of reasons why hiring more Aboriginal teachers is a positive step. Some of these reasons are:
- It is good to have teachers from all kinds of backgrounds in a school
- Positive role models in the schools.
- Helps staff understand the needs of Aboriginal children.
- Breaks barriers of racism.
- Allows non-Aboriginal students to also have a positive role model from a different culture
- First Nations and Métis perspectives and world view[s] are available to staff and students.
- Helps promote cultural awareness among adults [in the community].
- Helps staff learn about the educational needs of Aboriginal students.[7]
Some of the directors interviewed for the report believed that too much pressure was put on Aboriginal teachers to reach out to all Aboriginal teachers.
Improvements in Aboriginal Education
Based on statistics, Aboriginal people have lower levels of education compared to non-Aboriginal people. Some of the programs and schools outlined earlier in this chapter are an effort to correct this. There are many indications that this situation is improving as more Aboriginal students are taking advantage of the opportunities being provided to them.
One reason why Aboriginal people have lower levels of education is the lack of schools in northern Aboriginal communities. Small communities may possess an elementary school (from Junior Kindergarten to grade 8), but students have to leave their families and live elsewhere if they want to attend high school. For young students this is a very stressful event. Imagine how you would feel if you had to leave your family at the age of 13, live with strangers, and attend a new school that is hundreds of miles away from your home. Access to post-secondary training and jobs training is also very limited in the north as universities and colleges are generally located in cities.
Some Aboriginal parents may not trust the educational system. If they attended residential schools, or had a negative school experience when they were young they can pass this feeling on to their children. There can also be language barriers. Some students speak their Aboriginal language as their first language. Attending school in French or English, therefore, is difficult for them. Research has also indicated that Aboriginal students who are in integrated schools can experience racism from other students and some teachers. Such a negative experience can easily lead a student to quit school. If they stay their grades tend to be lower which affects their ability to attend university or college, or enroll in an apprenticeship program.
Compared to the 1960s there has been incredibly improvement for on-reserve students attending school. In 1960 less than 10% of on-reserve students completed high school. By 1993 this number increased to over 40%. While this is still less than the non-Aboriginal population it is an incredible increase.
Despite these difficulties, an increasing number of Aboriginal people are attending school and moving on to some form of post-secondary education. Aboriginal people living in cities face certain obstacles to succeeding. First, they tend to lack the same education as non-Aboriginal people. Based on 2001 information, 48% had not finished high school compared to 28% of Canadians overall. This is an improvement from 1996 when 52% of Aboriginal people reported not completing high school. Fewer Aboriginal people had post-secondary (i.e.: college or university) education. In 2001, 39% reported completing post-secondary studies compared to 55% of Canadians overall. However, this too is an improvement. In 1996, 34% of Aboriginal people reported completing post-secondary studies.
Overcoming the Problems
While educational statistics are improving there is substantial room for improvement in First Nations schools and education. Problems with infrastructure (i.e.: the school buildings), and the improving but still low rates of Aboriginal education are problems that have to be addressed to improve the lives of First Nations people.
In remote communities some schools are close on a regular basis due to unsanitary conditions such as mould, poor water, and other toxic problems. Since many of the schools are built on land which floods each spring it is very easy for water to get into the walls and floors. Repairs can take weeks or months to complete. Schools are often closed for long periods of time. The Toronto Star reported that by Grade 8, children on remote reserves have missed almost two years of school due to the building being closed for repairs.[8]
School principals and First Nations directors of education state that federal funding for band run schools is far lower than the provincial funding provided to public schools. In November, 2005, Canada’s Auditor-General (the person who examines government programs to insure the money is spent responsibly) stated that the Department of Indian Affairs is not meeting its obligations towards First Nations’ education.[9] Sheila Fraser, the Auditor-General, said Indian Affairs cannot account for how its money is spent, or even if enough money is being spent to fund band run schools. Approximately $1 billion is spent on First Nations run schools, and another $273 million is spent to fund First Nations who attend college or university. Based on the 2001 census of Canada only 40% of on-reserve Natives possessed a high school diploma compared to 70% of the overall Canadian population. Based on government estimates this gap will not close for another 28 years.
Post-Secondary Education
While the number of Aboriginal students attending post-secondary institutions has increased over the years there is still substantial room for improvement. A number of factors make it difficult for Aboriginal people to attend college or university, and a number of solutions have been put forward to solve these problems.
Barriers to Access
A number of barriers keep Aboriginal people out of university and college. First, they often lack strong background training from high school. Reserve or remote/rural schools often lack the resources of schools in larger urban areas. There can also be a culture in more remote schools that discourages students attending college or university. Because universities are usually situated in larger cities they are seen as being far away and very foreign to students in small communities. Adults in rural communities often lack college/university educations because the jobs associated with such training are not present in their area. Aboriginal students, therefore, often lack role models they can look up to.
Aboriginal students who attend university/college tend to be mature students (i.e.: not directly out of high school). As a result they are more likely to have families of their own. This creates specific problems for them. First, if they have children they have to arrange for day care (and the costs associated with that) when they move to attend school. If they leave their family behind they face problems of loneliness and isolation. Aboriginal people who have families may not be able to attend school because they have to work to support their families. They cannot afford to take time away from work to attend school.
At the University of Manitoba, which has a number of Aboriginal programs in place to support students, academic failure is often not the reason for students leaving the university. Most Aboriginal students state that “stress, discrimination, loneliness and an alien environment” are why they quit university.[10] Manitoba established Aboriginal access programs for universities in the 1970s. There are now 20 programs across the province. They actively go Aboriginal communities to talk to people about the college or university they represent.
In 1976 the University of Regina in collaboration with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations created the Saskatchewan Federated Indian College. Referred to today as the First Nations University of Canada, the university’s mission statement is as follows:
- The First Nations University of Canada provides an opportunity for students of all nations to learn in an environment of First Nations cultures and values. The university is a special place of learning where we recognize the spiritual power of knowledge and where knowledge is respected and promoted. In following the paths given to us by the Creator, the First Nations have a unique vision to contribute to higher education. With the diversity and scope of the First Nations degree programs, the university occupies a unique role in Canadian higher education. The university promotes a high quality of education, research and publication.[11]
In addition to this development, a number of universities and community colleges are developing support offices for Aboriginal students. Quite often attending university of college requires an Aboriginal person to leave their community and travel to a much larger city. Leaving behind family and friends can be a very stressful process for anyone. For some Aboriginal students, however, they are leaving very small and sometimes remote communities. Providing them with supports and help during their university or college education helps them to succeed.
Other provinces have worked to establish university courses and programs for northern residents. Manitoba, for example, has established the University College of the North. It offers university courses and educational upgrade courses in northern Manitoba towns and cities. Nunavut has also developed a law school program (Akitsiraq Law School) with the University of Victoria to train more Inuit lawyers for senior government positions in the territorial government. They graduated several lawyers. While the program is not currently accepting new students it was an important step towards offering northern students the same educational opportunities available in the south.
Conclusion
First Nations education has been improving over the last several decades, but there is still substantial room for improvement. Poor constructed schools, high drop out rates, and barriers to attending university and college prevent many Aboriginal peoples from reaching their full potential. Efforts by teachers, First Nations schools, post-secondary institutions and others have helped to improve the situation for First Nations. Increasing numbers of First Nations teachers and professors are now working in schools, universities and colleges. Students are graduating with diplomas and degrees and moving on to professional positions in a variety of different positions. There is substantial cause for hope in these improving numbers.
Review Questions
1. In the past First Nations history was not incorporated into school history classes. Based on your experience do you think history classes (or other subjects) do a better job including First Nations history etc. into the curriculum?
2. Examine the web site of the Nbissing Education Centre/Secondary School. What programs and policies are in place at this school to help First Nations students succeed?
3. Will band operated schools create two different school systems: one for First Nations students, and one for other students? Would it be better to improve the public school system to be more inclusive for First Nations students?
4. As noted in the chapter, one of the problems remote reserves face is the lack of secondary schools in their community. What do you think can be done to make high school education available to First Nations students without making them leave their communities?
5. Examine the website of the First Nations University. How is it designed and operated to help First Nations and Aboriginal students attend university and receive a post-secondary education?
6. Does it matter who teaches First Nations students (or any students) so long as the teacher is qualified. Divide the class into two groups and organize a class debate on the following resolution: Be it resolved that First Nations students do better at school when taught by First Nations teachers. The government side will argue in favour of the resolution, and the opposition side will argue against it. Use the library and internet to conduct research to support your arguments.
Web Resources
- Peel's Prairie Provinces - Aboriginal Education – A Canadian Failure?
- Wiinibekuu School and Waskaganish Culture Programs
- Gathering Strength: Investing in Education Reform (Some Community Examples)
- Gathering Strength: Investing in Education Reform, 1999-2000
- Nbisiing Education Centre/Secondary School
- British Columbia Ministry of Education: Aboriginal Education
- First Nations University of Canada
- Toronto Star: "Report finds Native Students Falling Behind"
- Toronto Star: Articles on First Nations Education
- Chiefs of Ontario: Closing the Education Gap
- University of Toronto’s First Nations House
- Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development: Education
Notes
- ↑ Vera Kirkness, “Aborignal Education in Canada: A Retrospective and Prospective.” Journal of American Indian Education. Vol. 39, no. 1 (Fall 1999): 6.
- ↑ Kirkness, 6
- ↑ Cited in Kirkness, 8
- ↑ DIAND Program Data: Education. (Ottawa: Corporate Information Management Directorate, 2001): 12.
- ↑ Louise Brown, “Tales of Hope from Northern Schools.” Toronto Star. 28 December 2005.
- ↑ James S. Frideres, and René R. Gadacz, Aboriginal Peoples of Canada: Contemporary Conflicts. 6th edition (Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2001): 100
- ↑ The Recruitment and Retention of Aboriginal Teachers in Saskatchewan Schools. Accessed February 14, 2006.
- ↑ Louis Brown, “School’s out too often on Native Reserves.” Toronto Star. November 5,2005.
- ↑ Sue Bailey, “Report Finds Native Students Falling Behind.” Toronto Star. November 23, 2005.
- ↑ R.A. Malatest and Associates Ltd., “Aboriginal Peoples and Post-Secondary Education: What Educators have Learned.” Prepared for the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Fund (January, 2004): 16.
- ↑ Mission Statement of First Nations University of Canada. Accessed February 13, 2006.
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