Where are all the Native grads

Page 32

While the most recent statistics show the number of Aboriginal students completing their high school education is on the rise, the graduation rate still lags behind that of their non-Aboriginal classmates.

Deborah Jeffrey has been very active in the area of First Nations education for a number of years. Department head for First Nations Education Services with School District 52 in Prince Rupert, B.C., Jeffrey is also president of the First Nations Education Steering Committee in B.C., and has co-chaired the Minster's National Working Group on Education, which recently released its final report.

"I would say, in terms of the general population, First Nations students, Aboriginal students, lag behind considerably, and are certainly denied opportunity and access to post-secondary education by extension, greatly diminishing our nation-building capacity within our respective nations to build healthy and sustainable communities, "Jeffrey said.

"I think it is a huge problem that has been long ignored by the public school systems to date, and it's something that, certainly, that we're grappling with in varying degrees across the country."

She said British Columbia is starting to make some headway, with graduation rates hitting 42 per cent provincially.

"But there's still some significant factors, I think, that hinder the overall quality of education for our children."

One of those factors, Jeffrey explained is "probably the often ignored, denied oppression of First Nations people, the colonial legacy in which we're imbedded. And I still think for the most part that public schools, there's still a great deal of conformity and misguided notions of assimilation that are at play. It's systemic, and deeply rooted. And certainly they have to be challenged on all fronts."

Another factor, and one that has been evident in the public school systems for decades, is that some Aboriginal students don't do well in school because nobody expects them to do well, she explained.

"There is very low expectations of Aboriginal children, and I would say that's very much at play today, although its something that isn't really acknowledged. But I would say that's evidenced in the high drop-out rate, the streaming of First Nations children that still goes on within the public school system, the over-representation of our children in special needs, the over-representation of our students in the alternate program."

Perry Bellegarde is chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) and chairs the Assembly of First Nations Chiefs' Committee on Education. He believes many of the problems experienced by today's students can be traced back to the experiences their parents and grandparents had in residential school.

"There's still a lot of social dysfunction amongst our people, in terms of the poverty. Because we're still feeling the impact of the residential schools, which of course, was a form of cultural genocide. So the people coming through those institutions aren't healthy parents, they're not healthy individuals. You know, after you faced that onslaught of being deprived of your whole language, your value system, your whole way of life, it's no good. So that's got an impact. And then you throw in the sexual abuse, physical abuse, all of that, you're not a healthy individual coming out of that system. So therefore, if you're not healthy as an individual, you're not going to be able to raise a healthy family. And so a lot of people turn to alcohol and drugs to escape that," he said. "A lot of these kids, our children that are going to high schools, are living in those homes."

Another problem faced by Aboriginal students is that they don't see themselves or their cultures reflected in what's being taught, Bellegarde explained.

"The curriculum that's being taught has to be adapted so that our children can see all of the positive contributions that First Nations people have made to this country and this world. I'm talkin about the medicines, our languages, names of the provinces, the vegetables-pumpkin, squash and beans-all those things come from First Nations contributions. And even the treaties being taught in the school system, and then having our languages being taught. So from our worldview, our perspective, there's not enough of that in the curriculum. So people, our students, can't identify with it, so there's really nothing to grapple or grasp on to, so they retract, they go away from it."

Other reasons Bellegarde sites for the lack of student success in high school is that there aren't enough positive Aboriginal role models for them to look up to and try to emulate, and support services provided to Aboriginal students are often inadequate, or non-existent.

While he pointed to some of the ways current education systems are failing Aboriginal students, Bellegarde said he is optimistic that in the future, the situation can change for the better.

"There's hope, in the sense that we're getting healthier. Our people are getting healthier. And there's hope in the sense that Indian control of Indian education-it's life-long learning-that is starting to be accepted and adapted. Development of our own institutions is starting to happen. Developing more curriculum materials so they can be taught. So things are moving, but never quick enough," he said.

"Our children at all levels should be nurtured, supported. And the ones that do make it through that system, big congratulations and a pat on the back. Our Elders tell us we need two systems of education now as First Nations people. And by that they mean the kindergarten to Grade 12, your math, your sciences, all those good things. And now it's university as well, the technical/vocational skills we need. That's on one hand. Then on the other hand, we have to couple that and combine that with our languages, our customs, our ceremonies, and our traditions as First Nations people. You combine both, you're going to be strong, you're oing to be in balance. Too much of one, you're out of sync. So we need two systems now.

"The old people always say, education for our youth is like the buffalo of old. The buffalo gave us everything we needed, food shelter, clothing and weapons. Now education becomes that buffalo for our children. It'll provide them a livelihood. That's the message we keep saying to our young people."

"The messages in First Nations education have always been consistent, from reports written decades ago, to reports written today," said Jeffery. "Our aspirations and hopes for our communities and children haven't changed. But I am optimistic, because there seems to be signs of shifting attitudes amongst those in the public school system to be more inclusive. And in addition to that, there are a large number of very committed First Nations people working very hard on behalf of their children and communities to ensure that our children are getting a quality education. So that's very heartening."