Report shows First Nations schools require improvements

A recent report released by the Parliamentary Budget Officer states that inadequate planning, redirected budgets, and no inspections has placed many First Nations schools across Canada in a poor state and furthermore, criticizes Indian and Northern Affairs Canada(INAC) for its management of the schools.
When looking at Canada's 803 First Nations schools, the report says, 10 are closed and 77 are listed as temporary structures. Forty-nine per cent of the schools are in good condition and nearly 21 per cent are not inspected.
In Saskatchewan, more than half of the on-reserve schools have not been inspected and only 20 of the province's 142 schools were reported in "good" condition.
"(The report) is an independent, peer-reviewed piece of research that validates what First Nations have been saying for years: the government is literally failing First Nations students," said Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine.
"We hope that elected officials and the government will work with First Nations to find solutions because education must be a non-partisan issue. Our position is and always has been that First Nations should be in control of First Nations education," he added.
The report was prepared by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) after a request from NDP MP Charlie Angus to examine the government's approach to school construction in First Nations communities. The results show that First Nations schools are under-funded by at least $200 million annually, and that shortfall continues to grow each year.
As Parliament does not set aside funds specifically for First Nations school infrastructure, INAC is responsible for the distribution of funds to cover all costs associated with running First Nations schools.