Native education policy review underway

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Alberta Learning's review of its Native education policy is nearing completion, with the final report and recommendations expected in the fall.

According to Robert Rock, senior policy analyst with the provincial ministry's Native education project, the consultation portion of the review is winding down, and work will now begin on turning the results of that consultation into recommendations for the minister.

Rock said the policy review is happening for a number of reasons.

"We had a Native education policy that came out in 1987. And part of it is a process of doing business. It's good to review the existing policy and to see what was acted upon, what wasn't acted upon, what things need to change," Rock said.

"Part of it is also an interest by Alberta's auditor general in this whole area of Native education, and that combined as well with some of the demographic aspects - and by that I mean a growing Native population, particularly in the youth sector. Also the fact that . . . the five-year census data shows that while there's been some improvements in educational attainment rates, both K to 12 and post-secondary, those rates of improvement haven't kept pace with the rates of improvement for the non-Native population. So that's another indicator to us that whatever we're doing, we need to take a look at it, because we're obviously not meeting the needs," Rock said.

"I think part of it is also there is so much happening both within the First Nation/Metis communities themselves, the federal government, ourselves. You know there's a desire to look at ways that we can work better together," he said. "We want to be able to strengthen partnerships wherever they may be, whether it's between the school jurisdictions and First Nations, or whether its school-to-work kinds of partnerships, to help some of the First Nation/Metis youth have a better linkage to employment possibilities."

The consultation process involved asking for feedback through a questionnaire posted on the department website, as well as through public meetings held across the province, organized both by Alberta Learning and by various school jurisdictions.

The government involved the Aboriginal community in the consultation process by contracting with treaty areas 6, 7 and 8, the Metis Settlements General Council, the Metis Nation of Alberta Association, and the First Nations Adult and Higher Education Consortium, to go out and consult their community members regarding Native education.

The results, up to this point, will be included in a "What We Heard" document, Rock explained, which he hopes will be available for distribution by mid-June.

Once that document is completed, it will go to an advisory committee comprised equally of representatives from the Aboriginal community and other major stakeholders in Alberta education. The job of the advisory committee will be to take all the information gathered and come up with recommendations, which will form the basis of the report to the minister. Rock said that report should go to the minister in late September.

Although Alberta Learning stopped accepting submissions via the website on May 15, written submissions will be accepted throughout the summer. To have your viewpoint included in the consultation process, write: Alberta Learning, Native Education Project, 9th floor West, Devonian Building, 11160 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5K 0L2