Quality Education

From: Indigenous Services Canada

Backgrounder


On January 23, 2018, Minister Jane Philpott and the Department of Indigenous Services Canada held a media briefing to outline the new department’s priorities since being created in Fall 2017. The media brief as presented can be viewed online via Facebook, and background documents are available via Canada.ca.

Quality Education

Current Challenges

  • Gaps in graduation rates - about 44% of First Nations on-reserve (age 18-24) have completed high school, compared to 88% for other Canadians
  • Challenges to accessing post-secondary education opportunities
  • Significant infrastructure needs for school construction, repair and maintenance on reserveGaps in graduation rates - about 44% of First Nations on-reserve (age 18-24) have completed high school, compared to 88% for other Canadians

The Path Forward

  • Higher graduation rates and positive career outcomes for Indigenous Students
  • Substantive equity in education
  • Culturally appropriate curriculum
  • First Nations control of First Nations education

Points of Progress since November 2015

  • Budget 2016 included $2.6 billion over five years for primary and secondary education on reserve. This includes funding to address immediate needs and to keep pace with cost growth over the medium term, as well as investments in language and cultural programming and literacy and numeracy.
  • 140 First Nation education projects are completed or underway. These projects, ranging from school repairs to the building of new schools, benefit more than 120 First Nation communities and 176,000 people.
  • Historic Anishinabek Education Agreement transferring K-12 education jurisdiction to 23 Ontario First Nation communities comprising 25,000 people and 2,000 students.
  • First ever co-developed Memorandum to Cabinet between Federal Government and Assembly of First Nations on K-12 education transformation approved at December Special Chiefs Assembly.
  • Manitoba First Nations School System officially started operation in July 2017. Approximately 1,700 students from 10 communities will receive educational services and support services from this newly formed system.
  • Increased funding to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program and the University and College Entrance Preparation Program by $90 million over two years, beginning in 2017–18.
  • The federal government is undertaking a comprehensive and collaborative review of all current federal supports for Indigenous students who wish to pursue post-secondary education.

Facts & Figures

Budget 2016 includes $2.6 billion over five years for First Nations K-12 education:

  • $747.6 million to address immediate funding needs and program growth
  • $275 million to support First Nations language and culture
  • $577.5 million to support students with special needs
  • $100 million to support literacy and numeracy
  • $824.1 million to implement transformation in First Nations education
  • $37.5 million to support innovation, research, measurement and evaluation
  • $30 million to support the Martin Family Initiative's partnerships with First Nations to improve literacy rates

Approximately 107,000 First Nations children are benefiting from the Government of Canada’s Budget 2016 investment in on-reserve Kindergarten to grade 12 education.

Over 4,600 Indigenous students will be benefiting from the Government of Canada’s increased funding to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program and the University and College Entrance Preparation Program.

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