First Nations education system failing.

• Author: St. Germain, Gerry
• Position: Aboriginal Law

Canadians are rightly concerned and shocked by the deplorable conditions facing the small remote First Nation community of Attawapiskat in northern Ontario.

We should be equally concerned by the stories of students attending schools in First Nations communities where the classrooms are infested with black mould and the lands on which they play at recess are contaminated by chemicals. Many will never gain access to science or computer labs, play sports in a school gymnasium, or learn from textbooks that reflect who they are or speak to who they can become.

In some First Nations communities, a staggering seven out of 10 students will not graduate from high school this year. If we believe that education is a basic human right, then we are most certainly failing our First Nations children.

Access to a high-quality education is vital to ensuring that First Nations citizens are able to contribute to the political and economic life of their communities and are provided the necessary skills to manage their resources well and to govern effectively. Supporting the education of First Nations youth is necessary to create long-lasting solutions for this disadvantaged segment of the population.

On-reserve schools operate in relative isolation from one another and without meaningful access to critical educational supports provided by school boards or ministries of education. In real terms, this means the learning abilities of children are not adequately assessed, schools are not equipped with modern learning facilities, qualified teachers are paid less and cannot be retained, and First Nations students continue to fall further behind.

Since April 2010, as members of the Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples, we have looked at ways to reform First Nations education. The findings are set in our report Reforming First Nations Education: From Crisis to Hope. After several months of inquiry, we determined that a complete restructuring of First Nations education is required. The current patchwork of individually operated and funded First Nations schools on reserves is failing students.

Our report recommends a process to overhaul this antiquated and ineffective model. It is time to bring forward a First Nations Education Act to enable the establishment of a modern system of education that is accountable to parents, teachers and students and capable of supporting schools. Federal and provincial roles must also be better defined as well as their responsibilities...