Seven steps to a finer First Nations education program

Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn Atleo is prepared to fight for parity in education outcomes of First Nations youth. He wants to see the graduation rate of First Nations students on par with its non-Aboriginal peers.

Education was one of the main discussion points at the 31st AFN general assembly. On July 22, the last day of the three-day conference, the AFN released First Nations Control of First Nations Education 2010.

“This is a blueprint for change,” said Atleo about the 48-page document, as he held it up for chiefs and delegates at The Winnipeg Convention Centre.

The paper is a guide for the changes chiefs across the country want to  see within the education system for their youth. The paper not only calls for First Nations to have control over their education, it also  lists traditional languages and values to become a permanent component of educating First Nations youth.

“First Nations lifelong learning systems must be founded on First Nations languages, cultures, histories, philosophies, worldviews and values, as these are the heart of our identity,” reads a portion of the vision statement.

“Education has been used as a weapon against our people,” said Atleo, referring to the impacts that government-run Indian residential schools have had on the First Nations community.

The AFN is calling for a partnership with the federal government to support the proposal, which will give First Nations control over the curriculum of their children. If the federal government doesn’t get on board, Atleo said, he is prepared to take direct action.

AFN Youth Council Co-chair Ashley Julian addressed the assembly in her ancestral language of Mi’ kmaq. The Dalhousie University student explained how important her family’ language is to her and how her peers are struggling to hang on to their culture without the knowledge of their people’s mother tongue.

“As a Mi’kmaq, I feel it is highly important for me to speak in my language,” said Julian.  “Our children are having a hard time speaking our mother tongue and we as leaders need to address this issue.”

Julian emphasized that her generation has a desire to learn from their Elders and are prepared to fight for what they feel they deserve.

The entire AFN Youth Council expressed that leadership amongst First Nations youth is crucial in order to make change. Members of the council did a tribute to 15-year-old Shannen Koostachin, who died in a collision in June.

A total of $4,628 was collected in a blanket dance around the assembly that gathered donations for a scholarship in Koostachin’s name, to honor the teen who was an advocate for equal access to education for First Nations communities.

She is fondly remembered as a brave soul who freely told former Indian and Northern Affairs of Canada (INAC) Minister Chuck Strahl that she wished her home community—Attawapiskat First Nation—could have a school as nice as his office, while she was on a class trip to Ottawa.

“A young girl at the age of 15, she wasn’t afraid to speak up,” said Julian. “She stood toe-to-toe with the federal minister.”

Even though high school and post-secondary graduation rates have improved over the years for Canada’s first peoples, Atleo said they still have a long way to go to catch up.

According to the AFN, 65,000 university graduates are needed to close the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal academic success.

A month prior to the three-day assembly, the AFN released a separate discussion paper that focused on the needs in First Nations post-secondary education.

Taking Action for First Nations Post-Secondary Education: Access, Opportunity, and Outcomes, released June 21 as part of the AFN’s Call to Action on revamping the current education systems, was also distributed and discussed amongst the 2,000 annual general assembly participants.
The document is meant to get the attention of newly-appointed INAC Minister John Duncan by outlining seven steps that would reconfigure the Federal Post Secondary Education (PSE) program.

INAC’s Post-Secondary Student Support Program has been criticized by a right-wing “think-tank,” the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, who reports that some students have been denied funding due to a lack of responsible fund management by some bands.

Days following the general assembly, Atleo pushed the provincial premiers and territorial leaders of Canada to understand the urgency behind reconstructing First Nations education when he spoke at the Council of the Federation on Aug. 4.

Atleo said it was time to put pressure on Ottawa to increase funding for Aboriginal education that routinely receives fewer dollars than non-Aboriginal education programs.

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger, who also spoke at the AFN General Assembly days, said he would write Prime Minister Stephen Harper to request a meeting on the issue.