Education symposium highlights Aboriginal education

October 9, 2015

O’Chiese First Nations Elder Theresa Strawberry feels change is in the air.

“There are things happening now that weren’t happening before,” said Strawberry, who points to her position as Elder at West Central High School in Rocky Mountain House.

Strawberry was one of 400 people to attend the first ever symposium on First Nations, Métis and Inuit education, co-hosted by the College of Alberta School Superintendents and First Nations, Métis and Inuit education division of Alberta Education.

The event, a year in the planning stage, included committee representatives from the three treaty areas and Rupertsland Institute: Métis Centre of Excellence. It received such overwhelming response that anticipated registration doubled and people had to be turned down. A larger room was booked to accommodate the three-day event, which took place from Oct. 7-9 in Edmonton.

Education minister David Eggen pledged to work with Aboriginal communities to close the education gap.
(Photo: Shari Narine)

The symposium was opened to a wide range of people, from professionals in all aspects of the education field to parents and Elders. CASS offered to cover registration fees and accommodation costs for eight parents or Elders nominated
by members. The organization received 60 nominations. Many jurisdictions then decided to cover the cost of their own nominees to attend.

“We wanted to bring all education partners from across the province together with the idea of sharing what has been effective, what have been the challenges,” said CASS executive director Barry Litun.

Litun notes that CASS extended membership to First Nations school authorities in a move to support the smaller authorities as well as for non-Aboriginal school boards, who offer programs to Aboriginal students, to learn from First Nations
authorities. Two years ago, three First Nations authorities had membership in CASS. Today that number stands at over 20.

Guido Contreras, associate director of research, policy, and strategic partnerships with Rupertsland Institute, says a symposium like this is important.

“It’s a kickstart of reconciliation. It’s reviewing and revising what education has been in the past and where we need to move in the spirit of openness and reconciliation,” said Contreras.

He says education plays a critical role in moving forward, both in the grade schools, where curriculum must include residential schools and Aboriginal culture, and in the universities, where teachers need to be taught “to challenge the status quo, (be) capable of incorporating new pedagogies and
understanding the Aboriginal struggle.”

Contreras contends that the provincial government has a “fundamental role” to play in making these changes.

“The problem in the past has been that the provincial government has not played the role that it needed to play, had been reluctant to embrace the Aboriginal culture, the need for inclusion. We see that the new government, Premier Notley is
changing that,” said Contreras.

Ministers David Eggen (education) and Kathleen Ganley (Aboriginal relations) addressed the symposium on Thursday, committing to working collaboratively with Aboriginal people to improve educational outcomes.

Eggen said the province would extend provincial initiatives to First Nations schools and school authorities, establish standards for education service agreements, and provide a framework to address the high dropout rates and low academic
achievements. He also said curriculum would be developed and delivered through all subject areas and all grades that would explore Aboriginal history, languages, culture and the impact of residential schools.

“I find it very difficult that students that are in the federal programs under federal treaty agreements … are not getting the access to the same level of support that other students are and I will work hard to close that gap to ensure that regardless of who is responsible for that education, that every student in the province of Alberta gets the same highest education,” said Eggen to a round of applause.

Litun says the hope is that participants will take away ideas from the symposium that they can implement in their own programs and schools.