Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the provincial and federal governments have taken a step toward giving First Nation students an education on par with other Canadians.
NAN Grand Chief Harvey Yesno, Ontario Minister of Education Liz Sandals and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister Bernard Valcourt signed a memorandum of understanding in Mattagami First Nation Tuesday to improve First Nation education.
“The chiefs have been addressing this for many years, so now we finally got to a point where we have both Ontario and Canada at the table to begin to address these issues to try to get our students the same kind of education that’s in the mainstream or urban centres,” Yesno said.
This is the first tripartite agreement to be signed in Ontario and Yesno said it’s the culmination of work that’s been ongoing for many years.
“They have a lot of challenges in the communities, not only just the facilities but the curriculum itself,” the Grand Chief said, adding NAN students have a high dropout rate with many students not moving on to post-secondary education.
The MOU focuses on five priorities: student support services; curriculum; governance and administration; human resources and parental participation.
A draft plan is already in place, but Yesno said the three parties need to get together to discuss what needs to be done to address the issues.
“It’s going to require a little more research and analysis so we can begin to address the needs, whether it’s shortages around staffing, standardization or capital assets like schools,” he said.
In a joint release issued Tuesday afternoon, Valcourt said the MOU is an example of the federal government’s commitment to creating education solutions that will lead to improved graduation rates for First Nation students while respecting local needs.
“By working together we are ensuring that the education needs of First Nation students are put first and that they get the education they need to be successful,” he said.
Sandals reiterated Ontario’s commitment to achieving excellence in education for all students.
“I am truly honoured to be part of this historic agreement that will support the learning and achievement of Nishnawbe Aski Nation students and strengthen our relationships with their communities,” she said.
