what is the importance of education for indigenous

Here’s How Indigenous Curriculum Can Help Students Thrive

Through her research of urban, indigenous youth, postdoctoral fellow rachel talbert offers insight for educators to facilitate more honest, inclusive social studies curriculum.

The violent history of America’s colonization includes the death of 55 million Indigenous people — directly at the hands of settlers and from exposure to invasive illnesses — between 1492 and 1600, followed by centuries of additional systemic violence and mistreatment. And yet, American K-12 history lessons often omit key details that are critical to understanding the magnitude of not only the country’s violent past, but also the policy that continues to impact Indigenous people today.

Take, for example, the ​​1835 Treaty of New Echota, which granted the Cherokee Nation the right to send a delegate to the U.S. Congress. Despite this agreement, Congress has yet to seat the Cherokee’s delegate, Kim Teehee, selected in 2019.

“If you didn’t know that, someone didn’t teach you that,” explains Rachel Talbert , the Minority Postdoctoral Fellow at TC’s Edmund W. Gordon Institute for Urban and Minority Education , who discussed the issue during her colloquium at TC earlier this fall. “And if you don’t even know that there is a treaty, then how can you as an American citizen actively participate in voting for elected officials who are making decisions about current issues impacting Indigenous people?”

Rachel Talbert, the Minority Postdoctoral Fellow at TC’s Edmund W. Gordon Institute for Urban and Minority Education. (Photo courtesy of Talbert)

This core principle of civic participation is at the crux of Talbert’s research on the experiences of Indigenous high school students in Washington, the impact of the state’s Since Time Immemorial Curriculum” and participation in a Native Youth Council on their civic identities. Here’s what other educators can keep in mind to build more rewarding, accurate curriculum:

Acknowledge the colonized nature of civics and social studies curriculum.

The overwhelming majority of U.S. history content about Indigenous people covers events occurring before the 20th century, according to previous research by Sarah Shear and colleagues. Talbert notes that this approach centers a “frontier” view that not only emphasizes assimilation, but also means that curriculum fails to cover numerous significant events that occurred between the federal government and Indigenous people beyond the 1800s.

Shear, Talbert and other scholars suggest that keeping more recent and current issues facing Indigenous people out of the classroom leads to people thinking about Native Americans as historic and not contemporary members of the nation. Social studies curricula “doesn’t challenge [traditional] American ideas,” says Talbert, but educators addressing “settler narratives” and education’s own historic role in Indigenous erasure can help.

Discuss Indigenous experiences of the past and present to A) cultivate civic identity and B) help everyone participate in the democratic process.

A core function of teaching social studies is helping students cultivate civic identity — which experts agree plays a key role in fostering political participation later in life, and is primarily formed between 7th and 12th grade. This, Talbert argues, means that better incorporating Indigenous history and social issues is essential to equitably fostering civic participation and social justice among all students.

“We know that political efficacy among students is key to active, informed participation in their government, and part of continued survivance , a term coined by Gerald Vizenor which refers to the ‘sense of native presence over absence,’” says Talbert, who notes it is important to center the presence of Native peoples in curricular spaces.

Last spring, students celebrate at the 10th annual powwow hosted by the Native American Council , a Columbia student organization “that represents over 20 Native and Indigenous nations across the Americas and Pacific Islands.” (Photo: Takashi Williams / Columbia Daily Spectator ) 

In her research in social studies classes at a Pacific Northwest high school and a Native Youth council, Talbert observed that empowering students to share their own experiences can strengthen cross-cultural learning for everyone.

“Students in urban school spaces who are Indigenous have a lot of this knowledge, and this was allowing them a space [to share their experiences],” Talbert said, reflecting that one 11th grader was not only relatively familiar with his tribe’s legal battles with state government — but also committed to aiding efforts to help regain land. “I always tell teachers to ask students in their class about their experiences, because you might be surprised how their lives relate to these issues.”

As Talbert continues her research working with Native youth in other urban cities to learn more about civic identity, build a research case and advocate for for Indigenous civic education for all, educators can find resources below:

Tools for Educators

• Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian’s “Native Knowledge 360° Education Initiative”
• Unsettling Settler-Colonial Education by Cornel Pewewardy, Anna Lees and Robin Zape-tah-hol-ah Minthorn (TC Press, 2022)
• Native Presence and Sovereignty in College by Amanda R. Tachine (TC Press, 2022)
• Indian Education for All by John P. Hopkins (TC Press, 2020) 
• To Remain an Indian by K. Tsianina Lomawaima and Teresa L. McCarty (TC Press, 2006)  

Books for Younger Readers

• We Are Still Here by Traci Sorell (Penguin Random House, 2021)
• We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom (Macmillan, 2020)
• I Am Not a Number by  Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer (Second Story Press, 2016)

NYC Experiences 

• The American Indian Community House
• Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
• “Water Memories” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

More on the Lenape People, Native to Manhattan

• Resources  from the Lenape Center
• An online exhibit from the Brooklyn Public Library
• “The Manhatta Project” from Columbia Magazine

The above websites and organizations are not affiliated with Teachers College. The views expressed are solely those of the speaker to whom they are attributed. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty, administration, staff or Trustees of Teachers College or of Columbia University.

Tags: K-12 Education Curriculum Diversity K-12 Education

Published Wednesday, Nov 9, 2022

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Mandated Areas

Numerous obstacles to education. Indigenous children are more likely to arrive at school hungry, ill and tired; they are often bullied, and the use of corporal punishment is still widespread. Ethnic and cultural discrimination at schools are major obstacles to equal access to education, causing poor performance and higher dropout rates. Indigenous girls, in particular, experience difficult problems related to unfriendly school environments, gender discrimination, schoolbased violence and sometimes sexual abuse, all of which contribute to high dropout rates.

Loss of identity, caught in no man’s land. When indigenous school children are introduced only to the national discourse at the expense of their native discourse, they are in danger of losing part of their identity, their connection with their parents and predecessors and, ultimately, of being caught in a no man’s land whereby they lose an important aspect of their identity while not fully becoming a part of the dominant national society.

Invisible and at risk. When a child’s birth goes unregistered, that child is less likely to enjoy his or her rights and to benefit from the protection accorded by the state in which he or she was born. Furthermore, the unregistered child may go unnoticed when his or her rights are violated. Later in life, he or she will be unable to vote or stand for election. These children are also at risk of falling victim to child trafficking and are often easy prey for those who exploit their vulnerability, recruiting them as street beggars, domestic servants in slave-like arrangements, or as child soldiers.

Education often irrelevant. Indigenous students frequently find that the education they are offered by the state promotes individualism and a competitive atmosphere, rather than communal ways of life and cooperation. They are not taught relevant survival and work skills suitable for indigenous economies, and they often return to their communities with a formal education that is irrelevant or unsuitable for their needs. They are forced to seek employment in the national economy, leading to a vicious cycle of social fragmentation, brain drain and a lack of development, especially because the jobs and salaries available to them often will not match their educational achievements.

Despite efforts, no solution in foreseeable future. Even in countries where the general level of schooling among indigenous peoples has increased, for instance in several Latin American countries and Canada, the quality gap in schooling persists, resulting in poor education outcomes for indigenous peoples. The conditions of extreme poverty, exclusion and isolation do not bode well for sustainable and multicultural indigenous education programmes.

Emerging issues

Indigenous midwives

Despite its critical role, community-regulated indigenous midwifery is often undermined to the detriment of indigenous peoples’ health. To close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous health outcomes, the practice of indigenous midwifery must be supported by state health policy and integration. In this regard, states should support the education of new traditional indigenous midwives via multiple routes of education, including apprenticeships and the oral transmission of knowledge.

Indigenous languages

States together with academics need to take appropriate measures to introduce endangered languages of their regions to the educational practices and include the endangered languages’ learning to curricula at all levels of educational system, where requested by indigenous people.

Recent development

In 2018, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) developed, in cooperation with indigenous peoples, Member States, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and a range of different stakeholders, an action plan for the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages .

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Indigenous peoples’ right to education: Overview of measures reported by Member States

The right to education is recognized as having a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Agenda. Making education a reality for all is an absolute priority. States need to ensure the right to equitable and inclusive quality education. Inclusive education systems give the possibility to share different cultures and minds and learn from others for a better understanding and a brighter future.

Following the result of the Ninth Consultation of Member States on the 1960 Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education, UNESCO is realizing a series of thematic mapping. The first document of this series, focusing on the right to education for indigenous peoples, has just been released.

This document provides an overview of the measures supporting the right to education for indigenous peoples reported by 15 Member States during the Ninth Consultation. These national reports provide many varied examples of what can be done in relation to the right to education for indigenous peoples, from constitutional provisions, to practical and concrete policies, including specific budget, curriculum and teacher training adapted to indigenous peoples’ cultural specificities, bilingual and intercultural education.

Join UNESCO’s #RightToEducation campaign and help spread the word about this key human right that has the power and potential to transform lives around the world.

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Indigenous Education in a Global Context

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Indigenous Education in a Global Context by Jon Reyhner , Navin Kumar Singh LAST REVIEWED: 26 May 2021 LAST MODIFIED: 26 May 2021 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199756810-0064

The term “indigenous,” when used with education, is generally recognized to refer to the first inhabitants of an area that was later colonized by another, more powerful, group of people who then forced their language and culture on the original inhabitants. In Australia and Canada, the term “Aboriginal” is still used; in Canada, “First Nations” is also popular; and in the United States, “Native American,” “American Indian,” “Alaska Native,” and “Native Hawaiian” are used to describe the country’s indigenous peoples. However, the term “indigenous” is becoming more popular globally. The colonial approach to education is related to the anthropological concept of ethnocentrism, where each ethnic group tends to think itself superior to other groups, and which propels more powerful, dominant groups to subordinate or demand the cultural assimilation of less powerful groups they conquer and colonize. The subordinate, indigenous group can be expected to adopt the religion, language, and customs of the dominant group, and schools are used to promote this conversion. However, ethnic minorities often resist forced assimilation. Much of the recent history of indigenous education globally has involved the conflict between efforts at decolonization, which was exemplified by the United Nations’ adoption in 2007 of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and continued efforts to assimilate thousands of indigenous ethnic minority groups. The variety of these groups is indicated by the fact that it is estimated by linguists that there are over six thousand languages spoken across the globe today (though assimilationist education is lowering that number), and each language can represent a unique culture. Since European nations colonized much of the world in the last few centuries, they are usually the group imposing, through schools, their language and culture on indigenous peoples in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia, and the islands in the Pacific Ocean. However, China’s recent actions in Tibet also meet this definition, and the actions of Scandinavian countries in regard to the Sámi in their northern regions also qualify. The studies in this bibliography examine the educational issues worldwide that many indigenous people still face today as they attempt to hold on to their indigenous languages and cultures while seeking to reestablish self-government and gain economic success in an increasingly globalized and “flat” world.

Calls for decolonizing indigenous education are given impetus by the below-average academic performance and high dropout rates of indigenous students. In the past, nonindigenous peoples often attributed this poor performance to racial inferiority, but modern genetic testing shows that there are no genetic differences, beyond superficial ones like skin color, that can be used to separate the “races.” A second rationale for poor performance is “cultural deprivation,” which transfers indigenous inferiority from genetics to culture, and which characterizes indigenous cultures as less civilized. This rationale promotes assimilationist education so that schooling replaces the culture of the indigenous child with that of a dominant, often Euro-American, culture. The studies in the Histories section of this article document the failings of assimilationist education. Abidogun 2013 gives an overview of current thinking on indigenous education. The contributing authors to Ah Nee-Benham and Cooper 2000 examine the question of what philosophy should drive thinking about indigenous education, and Tuhiwai Smith 2012 examines how and by whom indigenous education should be researched. Huffman 2010 looks at recent research-based explanations for indigenous academic performance, starting with cultural discontinuity theory, where the culture of the teacher as well as the curriculum and instructional strategies used in schools may be in conflict with a child’s home culture. This explanation supports bilingual, bicultural education. Critical theorists maintain that indigenous children are provided an inferior education so that the dominant group can maintain its position of power and continue to exploit ethnic minorities as sources of cheap labor. A final explanation is found in poverty. This view holds that children of any “race” or ethnic group who live in poverty are denied the health care, nutrition, home literacy environment, and other factors they need for school success. Castagno and Brayboy 2008 provides an extensive review of research supporting the use of curriculum and instructional practices that build on the cultural and linguistic background of indigenous students. Many studies contrast “Western” linear thinking and knowledge with indigenous traditional circular and spiritual knowledge (e.g., Barnhardt and Kawagley 2005 ). Historically indigenous traditional knowledge has been devalued and ignored in schools in colonized lands. Deloria and Wildcat 2001 provides a strong argument for the continued importance of traditional Native values and ways of thinking for modern youth. Willeto 1999 , a study of Navajo youth, demonstrates that students do not have to lose their native language and culture to be more academically successful, as assimilationist ideology maintains. Cajete 2015 argues for recovering indigenous traditional knowledge to create a sustainable future.

Abidogun, Jamaine. 2013. Education. In Native peoples of the world: An encyclopedia of groups, cultures, and contemporary issues . Vol. 3. Edited by Steven Danver, 728–731. Armonk, NY: Sharpe Reference.

Overviews schooling as a method of colonial control, the impact of assimilation, indirect rule in some colonies, the past dismantling of indigenous education in some countries, and recent efforts at decolonization.

Ah Nee-Benham, Maenette Kape ʻahiokalani Padeken, and Joanne Elizabeth Cooper, eds. 2000. Indigenous education models for contemporary practice: In our mother’s voice . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Fourteen indigenous educators share their ideas about education and interdisciplinary learning opportunities that involve the physical environment and building global community—which includes Native history, culture, language, and art—and which “fosters self-respect; cultural respect; and productive school, family, and community relationships” (p. 11).

Barnhardt, Ray, and A. Oscar Kawagley. 2005. Indigenous knowledge systems and Alaska Native ways of knowing. Anthropology and Education Quarterly 36:8–23.

DOI: 10.1525/aeq.2005.36.1.008

Illuminates the processes of learning that occur at the intersection of diverse worldviews and knowledge systems, drawing on experiences of Alaska Native ways of observing and relating to the world.

Cajete, Gregory A. 2015. Indigenous community: Rekindling the teachings of the seventh fire . St. Paul, MN: Living Justice Press.

The ten chapters in this book describe community foundations of indigenous education, coming back from diaspora and loss of community, what is a healthy community, sustaining indigenous community, re-creating community leadership, and a vision of indigenous education. Cajete views Western ideas of development as not sustainable and not good indigenous communities.

Castagno, Angelina E., and Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy. 2008. Culturally responsive schooling for indigenous youth: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research 78:941–993.

DOI: 10.3102/0034654308323036

A comprehensive review of the literature on culture-based education that finds much support for it but too little implementation. The authors view recent educational reform efforts by the US federal government as hurting rather than helping improve indigenous education.

Deloria, Vine, Jr., and Daniel R. Wildcat. 2001. Power and place: Indian education in America . Golden, CO: Fulcrum Resources.

This collection of essays critiques the “Western worldview,” formal schooling as it is today, and modern American values generally. The authors argue for the strength of traditional indigenous/tribal values and a more holistic view of the world as a source of guidance to living a good life in the modern world.

Huffman, Terry. 2010. Theoretical perspectives on American Indian education: Taking a new look at academic success and the achievement gap . Lanham, MD: AltaMira.

Examines the cultural discontinuity, structural inequality, interactionalist, and transculturation theories that seek to explain the academic performance of indigenous students. The concluding chapter examines emerging decolonization theories, including tribal critical race theory.

Tuhiwai Smith, L. 2012. Decolonizing methodologies: Research and indigenous peoples . 2d ed. New York: Zed Books.

Challenges “Western” approaches to research and calls for a new “decolonizing” agenda for indigenous research that has a more critical understanding of indigenous “others,” who have often been contrasted with nonindigenous people rather than valued on their own terms. Chronicles the transition from “Maori as the researched” to “Maori as the researcher.”

Willeto, Angela A. 1999. Navajo culture and family influences on academic success: Traditionalism is not a significant predictor of achievement among young Navajos . Journal of American Indian Education 38.2: 1–21.

This study of 451 Navajo youth in eleven schools found that students who maintained their traditional language and culture were at least as successful in school as those who were more assimilated into the dominant English-speaking culture.

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‘Once students knew their identity, they excelled’: how to talk about excellence in Indigenous education

Senior Research Fellow, School of Education, The University of Queensland

Senior Lecturer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education, The University of Queensland

Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education, The University of Queensland

Lecturer, Educational Leadership/Global Indigenous Education, The University of Queensland

Disclosure statement

Marnee Shay receives funding from the Australian Research Council and Edmund Rice Education Australia.

Danielle Armour receives funding from Edmund Rice Education Australia.

Jodie Miller receives funding from Edmund Rice Education Australia.

Suraiya Abdul Hameed receives funding from Edmund Rice Education Australia

University of Queensland provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

View all partners

When we talk about Indigenous education in Australia, it almost always includes three words: “close the gap”. The federal government’s Indigenous education priorities highlight school attendance, literacy and numeracy and year 12 attainment. This frames students and their families as a “problem” to “fix”.

In other areas of education, the word “excellence” is frequently used to frame policy. But a simple Google search of “excellence” and “Indigenous education” comes up with very few meaningful results. Why aren’t starting from the same point in Indigenous education?

Our new research begins this process.

Read more: Albanese is promising 'truth-telling' in our Australian education system. Here's what needs to happen

Our project started as a pilot study with three secondary schools from an urban, regional and remote setting in Queensland.

We yarned with 31 Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators, principals and teachers about their perspectives on excellence in Indigenous education.

Here we share the perspectives of 12 Indigenous educators. We do this deliberately because it is critical we elevate Indigenous voices in any re-imagining of policy that affects us.

We explored the question: “How is excellence in Indigenous education defined by Indigenous peoples?”

Three themes emerged: the young person, school culture and relationships.

‘Build young people up’

The most distinct theme to emerge was the need to nurture and affirm culture and identity in students and in doing so, “build young people up”.

Indigenous interviewees talked about identity as a protective factor in the face of navigating issues such as racism at school. As school community liaison officer Uncle Frank* explained:

In our school, once students knew their identity, they excelled. Nurturing identity and culture is very important – growing young people in an environment where being Indigenous was negative but turning that into a positive is re-imagining the story for all Indigenous students.

Aboriginal teacher, Brooke, also explained:

our white kids know where they fit in society. Many of our kids don’t, sometimes they’re not accepted in different communities. Kids who are fair like me don’t fit with white or Black. Identity is important for all kids – we are social creatures".

From a practical perspective, community education counsellor Aunty Millie said schools could provide dedicated physical spaces to enhance their identity work with students.

culture and identity play an important role in students believing in themselves and striving to be the best version of themselves […] students have to know that they [are] included and recognised as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people […] space to call their own is important. They like to be there.

Building up young people is more than just affirming their identity. As Uncle Frank explained, it is also:

letting our senior students take a lead role [and] encouraging Indigenous students to give feedback to teachers. Empower them to have a say.

School culture and leadership

Research already tells us the leadership of a school plays a critical role in its culture.

Our research also shows it is vital for excellence in Indigenous education.

Community liaison Katelyn told us how she was empowered by strong leadership at her school, who are open to new ideas and approaches based on Indigenous knowledge and perspectives.

We have a very great leader here […] I’m able to look outside the box […] the restraints aren’t there.

Brooke talked about the notion of “curriculum leadership” and the importance of “making sure everyone is reflected in curriculum and pedagogy [the way students are taught]”.

Relationships with students

Previous research also recognises how positive relationships with students are connected to positive outcomes for students.

Aboriginal school support worker Missy talked about the quality of relationships being a priority for schools.

It really does come down to building a relationship with the students [and] with the families and showing them [they are] not just another number.

Uncle Frank pointed out Indigenous people bring a wealth of knowledge in relationships with schools.

[…] we know what’s best for our kids – include us in the conversation. If you’ve got a degree that’s good but I’ve got a degree in life – being Aboriginal.

We need new ways to talk about Indigenous education

In all our conversations with educators and support staff in school, one other thing stood out. When asked to think about “excellence” in Indigenous education, many of these experts struggled to conceptualise what it is or should be.

Read more: How can Australia support more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers?

We believe this is due to the dominance of “closing the gap”. Those three words have been so influential in shaping the minds of educators and support staff in schools.

This highlights the power and importance of language. We need new ways to speak aspirationally about Indigenous education and move on from the old deficit vocabulary.

This is a small data set from a pilot study, but it already provides some important insights about how we work towards excellence in Indigenous education.

It shows how there must be opportunities for Indigenous peoples to shape all aspects of schooling and educational policy. It is vital we include the aspirations, experiences and stories of Indigenous people working in Indigenous education.

*names have been changed.

• Indigenous education
• school excellence
• Indigenous students
• Aboriginal students

PhD Scholarship

Senior Lecturer, HRM or People Analytics

Senior Research Fellow - Neuromuscular Disorders and Gait Analysis

Centre Director, Transformative Media Technologies

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

• Prime Minister’s Foreword

Introduction

• Chapter One Celebrating Indigenous Cultures
• Chapter Two Infancy and early childhood Child Mortality Target | Early Childhood Education Target
• Chapter Three Education School Attendance Target | Literacy and Numeracy Target | Year 12 Attainment Target
• Chapter Four Employment Employment Target
• Chapter Five Economic Development
• Chapter Six Healthy Lives Life Expectancy Target
• Chapter Seven Safe and Strong Communities

Chapter Three Education

You are here.

'We believe that capabilities for education start with early childhood education, and then moves onto good primary schooling, successful secondary schooling and further education at university and technical trades, and then the importance of lifelong learning throughout careers.' Cape York Institute.

A good quality education lays the foundations for success in later life. While all social indicators are important, education can be the catalyst for improving life outcomes in the long term.

The Australian Government is working with state and territory governments, education authorities, schools and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to strive for the best outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

The Australian Government has an important role in the higher education sector, while state and territory governments have constitutional responsibility for schooling and training. In all sectors, the Australian Government plays an important supplementary role in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education including:

• Facilitating partnerships across sectors, across jurisdictions and with families, communities and non-government organisations.
• Enhancing access to education beyond that which would be expected of state and territory governments.
• Improving opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to attend and thrive at school, regardless of location.
• Promoting good practice and innovation.
• Ensuring that gender-specific educational needs are identified and addressed.
• Funding complementary activities that support engagement, attainment and completion in school and post-school education.

Over the past ten years, significant investment has provided pathways for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to access, engage with and achieve in education from primary and secondary schooling through to tertiary education. Government investment includes support for:

• Lifting student outcomes. Through the National School Reform Agreement, the Australian Government and state and territory governments are working together to lift student outcomes across Australian schools, with a priority focus on equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This is supported by additional funding that is expected to benefit around 217,355 students.
• Supporting girls to pursue education and careers in STEM. This year the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), in partnership with CareerTrackers, launched an Indigenous Girls’ Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Academy for high-achieving female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who aspire to pursue education and careers in STEM professions. CSIRO also offers exciting traineeships and cadetships to tertiary students and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to gain real experience in a scientific environment that will kickstart their career.
• Integrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Curricula Project aims to empower all teachers to integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into their classroom practice. The project will provide resources centred around three themes—Astronomy, Fire and Water—showcasing the sophistication of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
• Supporting attendance, retention and attainment through ABSTUDY. In recognition of the 50th anniversary of ABSTUDY, the Government is investing $38.1 million over five years to better support school attendance, retention and Year 12 attainment for over 5,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their families.
• Reforming remote delivery to be more flexible and tailored to community needs . From 2019, the Remote School Attendance Strategy (RSAS) will change to have a stronger focus on engagement with communities and increasing local decision making. The strategy will work to build stronger linkages with state and territory governments and schools, broadening its focus from ‘getting kids to school’ to ‘keeping kids in school’. Local employment will remain a key aspect of the new model and RSAS teams will support families to build on their strengths to take an active role in their children’s education.

Hermannsburg Indigenous Engagement Officer, Edward Rontji with Ntaria school kids.

School attendance

Close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance within five years (by 2018)

• The target to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance is not on track.
• Attendance rates for Indigenous students have not improved between 2014 and 2018 (around 82% in 2018), and remain below the rate for non-Indigenous students (around 93%).
• The gap in school attendance is evident from when children start school. During primary school the attendance gap was around 8 percentage points in 2018. Attendance falls when students reach secondary school – particularly for Indigenous students – and the attendance gap widens to 14 percentage points.
• In remote areas, school attendance by Indigenous students is lower and the attendance gap is larger. In 2018, attendance rates for Indigenous students ranged from 86% in Inner Regional areas to 63% in Very Remote areas.

What the data tells us

The target to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance by 2018 is not on track. Progress against this target is assessed using Semester 1 school attendance rates for Years 1–10. The final assessment of the target will be considered following the release of Semester 1 2019 attendance data. Semester 1 2019 provides a better representation of changes in school attendance throughout 2018.

Based on Semester 1 school attendance data reported by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, school attendance rates have not improved for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students between 2014 and 2018. For both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, attendance rates decreased by about 1 percentage point over the period (Figure 3.1).

Figure 3.1: Student attendance rates

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2018, ACARA National Student Attendance Data Collection , Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, Sydney; and National Indigenous Reform Agreement Performance Information Management Group , unpublished.

View the text alternative for Figure 3.1 .

In 2018, the national school attendance rate was around 82% for Indigenous students. This compares to an attendance rate for non-Indigenous students of around 93%. With similar movement in both student populations, the gap in attendance rates has remained at around 10 percentage points over the past five years.

The gap in school attendance is evident from when children start school. Among primary school students the attendance gap was around 8 percentage points in 2018. The gap increased to around 14 percentage points for Indigenous students in secondary school (Box 3.1).

While attendance rates are slightly higher for girls than boys for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, the difference is larger for Indigenous students. In 2018, there was a 0.3 percentage point gap in attendance between non-Indigenous boys and girls. Attendance by Indigenous girls, however, was 1.3 percentage points higher than Indigenous boys. Indigenous girls also recorded slightly higher levels of consistent school attendance than Indigenous boys (Box 3.2).

States and territories

There has been no improvement in attendance rates for Indigenous students across the states and territories. The largest change has been in the Northern Territory, where the attendance rate fell by around 5 percentage points between 2014 and 2018. Declines of around 2 percentage points or less have been observed in the attendance rate for Indigenous students in all other jurisdictions (Figure 3.2).

Figure 3.2: Indigenous student attendance rates by jurisdiction

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2018, ACARA National Student Attendance Data Collection , Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, Sydney.

View the text alternative for Figure 3.2 .

School attendance rates for Indigenous students are higher in metropolitan areas, and lower in remote areas. In 2018, the attendance rate for Indigenous students ranged from 86% in Inner Regional areas to 63% in Very Remote areas.

While attendance rates for non-Indigenous students did not vary substantially by remoteness, attendance rates for Indigenous students decline with remoteness. The gap in attendance rates, therefore, increases with remoteness (Figure 3.3). The gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous attendance rates was 27 percentage points in 2018 in Very Remote areas, and narrowed to 6 percentage points in Inner Regional areas.

Figure 3.3: Student attendance rates by remoteness, Semester 1 2018

View the text alternative for Figure 3.3 .

Similar to the attendance rate, the level of consistent attendance — that is, the share of students who attended school 90% or more of the time — was highest in Inner Regional areas (55% attending 90% or more of the time) and fell off sharply in remote areas (to 21% in Very Remote areas). Again, the attendance levels for non-Indigenous students showed less difference by remoteness, and as a result the gap in consistent school attendance was highest in Remote and Very Remote areas.

While Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance is stable throughout primary school (Years 1–6), attendance rates fall in secondary school (Years 7–10). The decline in attendance is larger for Indigenous students. For Indigenous students in 2018, the attendance rate in Year 10 (73%) was around 12 percentage points lower than in Year 6; for non-Indigenous students the Year 10 rate (90%) was around 3 percentage points lower than in Year 6 (Figure 3.4).

Over the past five years, attendance rates have not materially changed for non-Indigenous secondary students. Attendance for Indigenous secondary students, however, declined slightly from 79% in 2014 to 77% in 2018. This resulted in a slight increase in the attendance gap for secondary students, of less than 2 percentage points over the period.

Figure 3.4: Student attendance rates by year level, Semester 1 2018

View the text alternative for Figure 3.4 .

While many factors contribute to learning outcomes, poor school attendance has been linked to lower achievement in numeracy, writing and reading. Between 2008 and 2012, after taking into account student demographics and school location, NAPLAN scores for students in Western Australia were found to decline with any school absence, and continued to decline as the number of days absent increased (Hancock et al. 2013).

Around three quarters of all students attended school 90% or more of the time in 2018. This means a quarter of Australian children are not attending school consistently. Levels of consistent attendance are lower again among Indigenous students – just under half (49%) of Indigenous students attended school 90% or more of the time, compared with 77% of non-Indigenous students. This leaves a gap in the level of consistent school attendance of around 28 percentage points.

In 2018, the gap in consistent attendance was 26 percentage points for primary school students compared to 32 percentage points for secondary students (Figure 3.5).

Figure 3.5: Proportion of students who attended school 90% or more of the time, Semester 1 2018

View the text alternative for Figure 3.5 .

Indigenous girls recorded slightly higher levels of consistent school attendance than Indigenous boys. The gap in the level of consistent attendance was slightly smaller for girls than boys, around 27 percentage points and 29 percentage points respectively in 2018.

In primary school, 56% of Indigenous girls consistently attended school compared with 52% of Indigenous boys. In secondary school, consistent school attendance dropped to 41% for Indigenous girls and 38% for Indigenous boys.

Literacy and numeracy

Halve the gap for Indigenous children in reading, writing and numeracy within a decade (by 2018)

• As outlined in the 2018 Report, the target to halve the gap for Indigenous children in reading and numeracy is not on track.
• The share of Indigenous students at or above national minimum standards has improved and the gap has narrowed between 2008 and 2017. In particular, the share of Indigenous students at or above minimum standards in Years 3 and 5 reading, and Years 5 and 9 numeracy, increased by around 11–13 percentage points (statistically significant).
• Outcomes vary by state and territory, and only Year 9 numeracy is on track in all the states and territories.

As outlined in the 2018 Report, the target to halve the gap in the share of Indigenous children at or above national minimum standards in reading and numeracy in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 within the decade to 2018 is not on track. [17] The 2018 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) data were not available in time for inclusion in this Report.

In 2017, a disproportionate share of Indigenous children remain below the national minimum standards in reading and numeracy compared to non‑Indigenous students (Figure 3.6 and Figure 3.7).

That said, gains have been made in reading and numeracy achievements for Indigenous children, narrowing the gap in outcomes with non-Indigenous children over the past nine years (Figure 3.8).

The shares of Indigenous students at or above national minimum standards were 11–13 percentage points higher (statistically significant) than the share in 2008 (the baseline), for reading in Years 3 and 5 and for numeracy in Years 5 and 9. [18] These four areas have shown the largest reduction in the gap from 2008–2017 (by around 10 percentage points each) (Figure 3.8). The shares of Indigenous students at or above national minimum standards in Year 7 reading and Years 3 and 7 numeracy also increased, by 1–4 percentage points each (not statistically significant).

A disproportionately low share of Indigenous students participate in NAPLAN. In 2017, across all eight areas less than 90% of Indigenous students participated, while participation was over 90% for non‑Indigenous students. Indigenous participation rates are lower for secondary students and students living in remote areas.

Low participation rates may skew the measurement of NAPLAN outcomes (COAG Reform Council 2012; Thompson 2013). For example, Indigenous participation in the reading test ranged from 89% in Year 3 to 75% in Year 9 — implying a quarter of Year 9 Indigenous students were not counted in the 2017 reading results.

Figure 3.6: Indigenous students at or above national minimum standards for reading

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2017, NAPLAN Results , viewed 15 January 2019, and National Indigenous Reform Agreement Performance Information Management Group , unpublished.

View the text alternative for Figure 3.6 .

Figure 3.7: Indigenous students at or above national minimum standards for numeracy

View the text alternative for Figure 3.7 .

Figure 3.8: The gap in meeting national minimum standards

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2017, NAPLAN Results , viewed 15 January 2019.

View the text alternative for Figure 3.8 .

The gap in schooling outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students varies by state and territory.

At the jurisdictional level, the target to halve the gap in reading and numeracy outcomes was assessed across 64 result areas — that is, for each of the eight jurisdictions, across the four year levels (Years 3, 5, 7 and 9), for both reading and numeracy outcomes (Table 3.1).

Results were on track in 29 of these result areas, including Year 9 numeracy for all jurisdictions. [19]

In 2017, the Australian Capital Territory was the only jurisdiction on track across all eight areas. Tasmania was on track in all but two areas (Years 7 and 9 reading), while Victoria was on track in half of the areas. New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia each had three areas on track. Both Queensland and the Northern Territory were only on track in Year 9 numeracy. The Northern Territory had the lowest proportion of Indigenous students at or above the national minimum standards.

Table 3.1: Reading and numeracy areas on track by jurisdictions, 2017

A tick ✔ indicates results on track for the target. The target was not on track for the remaining measures.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2017, NAPLAN results .

View the text alternative for Table 3.1 .

Year 12 attainment

Halve the gap for Indigenous Australians aged 20–24 in Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates (by 2020)

• As outlined in the 2018 Report, the target to halve the gap in Year 12 attainment or equivalent rate by 2020 is on track. Nationally, the gap has narrowed from 36 percentage points in 2006 to 24 percentage points in 2016.
• Indigenous Year 12 attainment rates have improved across all regions. In Major Cities, where over 40% of Indigenous 20–24 year olds live, the Year 12 attainment rate increased from 59% in 2006 to 74% in 2016.
• There has also been a marked improvement in Remote and Very Remote areas. Young Indigenous Australians living in Very Remote areas have experienced the largest gains in Year 12 attainment, with rates rising from 23% in 2006 to 43% in 2016.

As outlined in the 2018 Report, the target to halve the gap in Year 12 attainment or equivalent by 2020 is on track. This is based on Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016 data released in October 2017. There are no new national data to assess progress against the target this year.

Progress against this target is measured using data on the proportion of 20–24 year old Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have completed Year 12, or obtained a Certificate level II or above qualification.

Nationally, the proportion of Indigenous 20–24 year olds who had achieved Year 12 attainment or equivalent increased from 47% in 2006 to 65% in 2016 (Figure 3.9). While the rate of non‑Indigenous Year 12 attainment or equivalent also increased over the period, the gap has reduced by around 13 percentage points over the past decade, from 36 percentage points in 2006 to 24 percentage points in 2016.

There are slight differences by gender, with young Indigenous women (aged 20–24) marginally more likely to have a Year 12 or equivalent qualification than their male counterparts, 3 percentage point difference - the same percentage point difference as in 2006.  This was up from a 2 percentage point difference in 2006. By gender, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women is marginally larger (24 percentage points) than the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous men (23 percentage points).

Indigenous women face different challenges to Indigenous men, with childcare responsibilities being one factor related to lower participation in education for women (see Box 3.3).

Figure 3.9: Year 12 or equivalent attainment rate, Indigenous 20–24 year olds

Source: Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision 2018, National Agreement performance information 2017–18: National Indigenous Reform Agreement , Productivity Commission, Canberra; and National Indigenous Reform Agreement Performance Information Management Group , unpublished.

View the text alternative for Figure 3.9 .

Childcare responsibilities is one driver affecting young women’s participation in education. The rate of Year 12 attainment or equivalent for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 20–24 year old women without children is around 33 percentage points higher than the rate of attainment for their counterparts with children (Figure 3.10). By comparison, the corresponding gap among non‑Indigenous 20–24 year old women was 28 percentage points.

Figure 3.10: Year 12 attainment rate in 2016, by 5 year age range

Source: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics 2018, 2016 Census TableBuilder Pro , Cat. No. 2037.0.30.001, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra.

View the text alternative for Figure 3.10 .

Notably, the difference in Year 12 or equivalent attainment between mothers and women without children was smaller, in 2016, among older age groups for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous women (Figure 3.10). For instance, the difference between Indigenous mothers and Indigenous women without children reduces from 33 percentage points at 20–24 years old to only 5 percentage points at 40–44 years old. The relatively low Year 12 attainment rates among young Indigenous mothers (aged 20–24 years) highlight the importance of initiatives to support and promote alternative pathways and entry points into education later in life.

Under the IAS, the Government provides funding for a range of activities to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to finish school and complete further tertiary study. For instance, the Cape York Girl Academy aims to support young Indigenous mothers and their children to engage with and to complete schooling. This holistic approach includes access to VET, work experience and school-based traineeships aimed at preparing students for future employment opportunities. The Government also works closely with state and territory governments and service providers to better support young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers, particularly those still at school.

Year 12 or equivalent attainment rates have increased across all remoteness categories (Figure 3.11). Rates of Indigenous Year 12 attainment or equivalent are higher in metropolitan areas, and lower in remote areas. In 2016, rates of Year 12 attainment or equivalent for Indigenous Australians ranged from 74% in Major Cities and 65% in Inner Regional areas to 43% in Very Remote areas.

Figure 3.11: Year 12 or equivalent attainment rate, by remoteness, 20–24 year olds

Source: Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision 2018, National Agreement performance information 2017–18: National Indigenous Reform Agreement , Productivity Commission, Canberra; and Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision 2013, National Agreement performance information 2012–13: National Indigenous Reform Agreement , Productivity Commission, Canberra.

View the text alternative for Figure 3.11 .

The gap in Year 12 attainment or equivalent improved across all remoteness categories over the decade to 2016. A large proportion of Indigenous 20–24 year olds live in Major Cities (over 40%) where the attainment rate has increased from 59% in 2006 to 74% in 2016. This improvement has resulted in a narrowing of the gap to around 17 percentage points in 2016.

Indigenous Year 12 attainment has also increased by 17 percentage points in Outer Regional areas and 14 percentage points in Inner Regional areas between 2011 and 2016. This narrowed the gap in Year 12 attainment or equivalent to around 18 percentage points in each area.

There has also been marked increases in Year 12 attainment or equivalent between 2006 and 2016 in Remote areas and Very Remote areas. In particular, young Indigenous Australians living in Very Remote areas experienced the largest gains in Year 12 attainment or equivalent, with rates rising from 23% in 2006 to 43% in 2016.

What are the areas for further development?

The Australian Government will continue to work across agencies, with state and territory governments, experts and relevant stakeholders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to improve:

• Attendance. Consistent school attendance lays a foundation for improved outcomes. Evidence also shows that the attendance gap widens by remoteness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, with attendance rates 21.8 percentage points lower in Very Remote areas when compared to major cities (ACARA 2018).
• Literacy and Numeracy. A significant proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in remote schools are English as an Additional Language or Dialect learners. A key aspect to supporting their literacy and numeracy development is the recognition of their existing language skills in local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and supporting their language development as English learners.
• Teacher quality. Teacher quality is the most significant in-school determinant of student achievement. Further work is required to improve initial teacher education programs, and professional development of the existing educator workforce, to build overall capacity to teach Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers also needs to be improved, as they are significantly underrepresented in the education workforce.

In North Queensland, the Australian Institute of Marine Science engages with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students to bolster the interest, experience and hands-on skills needed for tertiary studies in marine science. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Marine Science Scholars’ Initiative brings students together in interactive workshops under the guidance of marine researchers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. The program aims to foster links between western marine science and traditional ecological knowledge. Back row (left to right): Jeneke Forrest, Shane Pilot, Jakahn Von Senden, Shakira Travers, Zane Lydom. Front row (left to right): Tanieka Kyle, Samantha Icely, Jordan Hann.

Tertiary education

Government investment includes:

• Higher education support. The Government provides funding for services such as scholarships, tutorial assistance, mentoring, safe cultural spaces and other support services to assist students to enrol in and successfully complete a higher education degree.
• Tertiary education access for remote and regional students. Enabling students to remain in their communities and complete their studies by distance education supports access to education.
• Higher education for regional students. The Government supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students through regional study hubs and scholarships. The hubs provide facilities such as study spaces, video conferencing, computing facilities and internet access for university students who wish or need to remain in their local area for study, but where enrolments are not sufficient to justify a university establishing a regional campus.
• Earning a TAFE Certificate while serving Australia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) receive high quality training and education including TAFE studies in literacy and numeracy, physical fitness, military training and cultural studies. On completion, they have the option of continuing with ADF careers or returning to civilian life with new workplace skills.

University enrolments by Indigenous Australians have increased significantly over the past decade, possibly reflecting higher Year 12 completion rates. Data from the Department of Education and Training (2018a) show the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in higher education award courses has more than doubled, from 9,329 in 2007 to 19,237 in 2017. In comparison, domestic award student numbers increased by 44% over the same period. Female students make up 66% of the Indigenous cohort, compared with 58% of the total domestic student population.

There has also been a 69% increase in the number of Indigenous higher education completions between 2007 and 2017. Nonetheless, Indigenous students remain underrepresented in universities. Indigenous students comprise less than 2% of the domestic higher education student population.

• Improving university and VET completion rates . Efforts should aim to maintain and increase the numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men entering into higher education and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women undertaking trade apprenticeships. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are significantly more represented at university than Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men while Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men are significantly more represented in trade apprenticeships. However, once tertiary qualifications are completed, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university graduates have, on average, higher salaries than other Australian graduates in the short and medium term (Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching 2018).
• Building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic workforce. Around 1% of the Australian higher education workforce are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people (DET 2018b). Greater numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the higher education workforce ensure that all Australians are able to better benefit from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and perspectives. Building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher education workforce requires development of a pipeline of students who are undertaking research degrees and progressing onto employment in the higher education sector.

Local Solutions

In Nhulunbuy, the Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation will establish a regional study hub to support university students in Nhulunbuy Yirrkala and Gunyangara, with satellite hubs in the communities of Ramingining, Millingimbi (Yurrwi) and Galiwink’u. Similarly students from Ngukurr and Numbulwar will be supported by the hub at Wuyagiba outstation. This initiative provides access to tertiary studies for remote students in a supportive environment.

[17] The target as originally agreed also included writing results. However, due to a change in the test from narrative writing to persuasive writing, the writing results from 2011 onwards are not comparable with results from previous years, and so have been excluded.

[18] Statistical significance is reported for changes in the proportion of students at or above national minimum standards. However, statistical significance is not reported for changes in the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous outcomes.

[19] Results are found to be on track based on confidence intervals. The Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory have the largest confidence intervals. For example, in the Australian Capital Territory in 2017, the results for seven of the eight areas were under the trajectory points, but were still consistent with the trajectories due to their large confidence intervals.

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Non-Indigenous youth aged 19 to 30 were much more likely to graduate high school than First Nations youth

Differences in high school completion between first nations and non-indigenous people were smallest in the atlantic provinces and largest in the prairies, financial and geographical challenges were negatively associated with high school completion and postsecondary participation.

• High school completion and postsecondary participation for First Nations youth are increasing over time

Postsecondary participation for First Nations people increased by 8-percentage-points when including individuals aged up to 46

The future of first nations education, acknowledgements.

Text begins

Quality, culturally appropriate, and accessible education is essential to the preservation and prosperity of First Nations communities. Note However, as reported by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the legacy of residential schools, inadequate funding, and the absence of culturally relevant curricula has had a profound impact on the educational success of First Nations youth, particularly those living on reserve. Note Accordingly, First Nations people Note have strongly advocated for an equitable education system that provides adequate support throughout all stages of lifelong learning.

First Nations youth often take different educational pathways than non-Indigenous youth, as they are more likely to be young parents, live in low-income households, and live in rural areas than their non-Indigenous counterparts. Note As a result, First Nations youth may face additional challenges to acquiring further education, such as poorer access to educational institutions on reserve. Note

This fact sheet presents 2016 Census data on the educational participation of First Nations youth aged 19 to 30, Note in conjunction with characteristics that may affect their educational experience. Note This study is guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, which recognizes the importance of equitable education in the success of Indigenous peoples and has called for regular reporting on the educational attainment of Indigenous peoples in Canada compared with non-Indigenous people. Note

Overall educational engagement was higher for non-Indigenous youth than for First Nations youth, in terms of both high school completion and postsecondary participation ( i.e ., having either completed a postsecondary credential, or having attended postsecondary school in the 2015/2016 school year).

Just under two-thirds (63%) of all First Nations youth had completed high school, compared with 91% of the non-Indigenous population. First Nations youth living off reserve were more likely to obtain their high school diploma (73%) than First Nations youth living on reserve (46%). The latter result is likely linked to access, as nearly half of First Nations students do not have access to a high school on reserve, requiring them to leave their community to pursue education. Note Note

This pattern continued into postsecondary education, as non-Indigenous youth were nearly twice as likely (72%) to have completed or recently attended a postsecondary program as First Nations youth (37%). Moreover, among First Nations youth, those living off-reserve were nearly twice as likely to have participated in postsecondary education (44%) as those living on reserve (23%). Both First Nations and non-Indigenous women were more likely to have attained their high school diploma and participated in postsecondary education than their male counterparts, with the exception of postsecondary participation for those living on reserve.

In terms of both high school completion and postsecondary participation, differences in educational attainment between First Nations and non-Indigenous youth were largest in the Prairie provinces and smallest in the Atlantic provinces. First Nations postsecondary participation, for instance, is three times higher in Newfoundland and Labrador (67%) than in Manitoba (21%).

However, this result is likely due to the relatively large proportion of First Nations youth residing on reserve in Manitoba (48%), Saskatchewan (46%), and Alberta (34%) relative to the Canadian average (33%). These provinces are characterized by the largest difference in postsecondary participation between First Nations and non-Indigenous youth (44-percentage points, 37-percentage-poinst, and 33-percentage-points, respectively).

Conversely, First Nations youth make up a small share of the young population in Newfoundland and Labrador (7%) and Prince Edward Island (2%) where an even smaller share of First Nations people lived on reserve (11% and 28%, respectively). The overall gap in postsecondary participation between First Nations and non-Indigenous youth in these provinces are also smaller (5-percentage-points and 18-percentage-points, respectively).

First Nations youth differ in many ways from other youth in Canada: as of 2016, they were more likely to be young parents, live in low-income households, and live in rural areas than their non-Indigenous counterparts (Chart 5). Additionally, First Nations youth are likely to speak an Indigenous language as their first language. This may contribute to cultural connectedness which can be a protective factor for First Nations youth, as they may benefit from a stronger link to their culture, tradition, language, and land. Note These characteristics are factors in the high school and postsecondary education experiences and outcomes of First Nations youth. Note

One-third (33%) of First Nations youth lived on reserve Note , where these characteristics are more pronounced. On reserve, nearly half (48%) of First Nations women aged 19 to 30 were parents, as were one quarter (26%) of men. Young men and women with children face additional costs and responsibilities of raising children, potentially impacting their decision to attend school or join the labour market. Additionally, half (48%) of First Nations youth living on reserve were living in low-income households (after tax). Previous studies have established that youth from low-income households tend to have lower levels of educational attainment, as they face additional constraints to participating in education. Note For example, youth from low-income households tend to have less access to high-quality schools and extra-curricular programs, which positively impact educational outcomes. Note

More than eight in ten (83%) of First Nations youth who lived on reserve were in rural areas, while 18% of First Nations youth who lived off reserve were in rural areas. In comparison, just over 1 in 10 (13%) non-Indigenous youth live in rural areas. Those residing in rural areas tend to have access to fewer essential services, including health care and educational facilities. Note This is the case for many First Nations youth, as 70% of First Nations communities had fewer than 500 inhabitants. Note Due to their relatively low population density, smaller communities may have to rely on larger urban centres to access education. This commute can be distant and costly, impacting participation in education. Note

Although the remoteness of living on reserve poses challenges in accessing services, it does afford opportunities to connect with community and culture through language. Overall, just over one in ten (12%) of First Nations youth spoke an Indigenous language as their first language. Note Approximately one third (30%) of First Nations people living on reserve spoke an Indigenous language as their first, a much larger proportion than those residing off reserve (3%).

These characteristics intersect with one another – ultimately influencing the context of learning and, subsequently, the educational outcomes of First Nations youth.

Generally, high school completion and postsecondary participation are lower for those who face these additional challenges in accessing education ( e.g. , financial, familial, or geographical). A larger share of First Nations youth, relative to non-Indigenous youth, faced these challenges, which are negatively associated with high school completion and postsecondary participation. Nonetheless, First Nations women consistently had higher educational participation than First Nations men, despite being more likely than men to be young parents and living in low-income.

High school completion and postsecondary participation for First Nations youth are increasing over time Note

First Nations youth have similar hopes and aspirations for formal education as non-Indigenous youth. Note Over time, overall high school completion has increased, more so for First Nations youth than for non-Indigenous youth. For example, while First Nation men had the lowest level of high school completion in 2011 (35%), they saw the greatest increases between 2011 and 2016 (+8-percentage-points). First Nations youth living on reserve have also seen the greatest increase in postsecondary participation, compared with 2011 (+3-percentage-points).

First Nations people participate in a practice of lifelong learning, and as a result, may take alternative pathways to education. Note Accordingly, the age of thirty may be too early to determine if an individual will finish high school or participate in postsecondary education. When expanding the analysis to include a larger age range of First Nations individuals ( i.e. , aged 19 to 46), high school completion rates and postsecondary participation rates increased for First Nations people, particularly those living on reserve. This was not observed for non-Indigenous people in this age range.

Notably, overall postsecondary participation for First Nations people on reserve was 8-percentage-points higher when considering individuals aged 19 to 46, versus 19 to 30 years. Conversely, postsecondary participation for non-Indigenous individuals remained within 1 percentage point of the narrower age range.

There are many factors that affect an individual’s ability to pursue their education. First Nations youth are more likely than non-Indigenous youth to be young parents, live in low-income (after-tax) households, and live in rural areas. A greater proportion of First Nations youth living on reserve face financial and geographical challenges, resulting in a larger disparity in educational attainment relative to non-Indigenous youth. Additionally, the legacy of colonialism, inadequate funding, lack of access to educational facilities on reserve, culturally irrelevant curricula and the impact of intergenerational trauma are determinants of education that cannot be ignored, Note although their direct effect is beyond the scope of this analysis.

In 2016, consistently, First Nations women engaged in education at higher levels than First Nations men, despite representing a larger share of those who were young parents and lived in low-income households. Further examination of the experiences of First Nations men is necessary to understand their relatively lower levels of educational engagement and to provide subsequent solutions. However, both First Nations men and women were found to pursue education later into life compared with non-Indigenous people. This information can inform the supports offered to First Nations youth to be inclusive of lifelong learners.

This study provides a profile of characteristics that are relevant to the learning context of First Nations youth. However, other research questions remain, including: do students have access to education in their community? Do student parents have support for childcare while completing their studies? Do students have adequate funding from their bands? These questions are relevant for policy makers, particularly in attempting to identify persistent barriers and offer support for First Nations students living on reserve. Finally, measures of success as defined by First Nations, such as ancestral language efficacy and cultural connectedness could be explored and reported on.

With the release of the 2021 Census of Population, these indicators can be replicated to assess how First Nations educational engagement has evolved over the past five years. The ongoing reporting of these education indicators is paramount in ensuring First Nations youth have adequate supports in their educational endeavours.

First Nations students have the inherent and Treaty right to receive education that is in accordance with their culture, values, traditions, and languages and that is free of prejudice and discrimination. Quality and culturally appropriate education are a cornerstone to the preservation and vitality of First Nations societies and to the realization of other fundamental human rights of First Nations students.

First Nations organizations have identified the following measures to facilitate improved education outcomes for youth: funding targeted to First Nations needs and circumstances, consideration of First Nations children’s cultural, linguistic, and geographical needs and historical realities; providing agency for First Nations in the education system in all stages of lifelong learning to foster increased First Nations enrollment, retention, and graduation rates.

In 2019, the federal government replaced its proposal-based education programs with regional education approaches and funding models. First Nations are now able to develop their own local, regional and/or Treaty based education agreements that enable the implementation of their vision for First Nations education. In 2021, seven Regional Education Agreements (REA) have been signed and concluded, three are near completion, and 46 REAs are underway.

Source: Assembly of First Nations, 2022.

We acknowledge the contribution of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) to this paper. Their knowledge, guidance and feedback are greatly appreciated.

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Indigenous knowledge and the education system: Plants and food production in the development of inclusive and diverse pedagogies

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The domestication of plants to make them suitable for consumption is a cultural event in many Indigenous cultures. The cultivation and production of food forms an important part of the worldview of Indigenous peoples. Its inclusion in formal education therefore addresses several cultural issues, fostering understanding of Indigenous life systems, on the one hand, and, on the other, strengthening their perceived legitimacy as valid, necessary processes that are in dialogue with other knowledge imparted within the school system. At the same time, the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives is necessary for a new social contract for education, advancing a paradigm in which Indigenous peoples and organizations participate directly in the creation of educational content, as opposed to what has been happening: states defining and establishing school programme design and content.

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CHIRAPAQ Centre for Indigenous Cultures of Peru (2021). Sara Mama. Maíz, vida y cultura en San Francisco de Pujas [Sara Mama. Corn, life, and culture in San Francisco de Pujas]. https://www.chirapaq.org.pe/es/publications/sara-mama-maiz-vida-y-cultura-en-san-francisco-de-pujas

UNESCO (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education . Report from the International Commission on the Futures of Education. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379707

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Indigenous education: Moving toward reconciliation

Over the past few years, ontario has taken significant steps toward improving education for indigenous students and engaging all students in learning about the cultures, experiences, and perspectives of indigenous peoples. but there is still much work to be done., moving toward reconciliation in ontario's publicly funded schools, moving forward.

In terms of Indigenous education, there are two gaps in Ontario’s education system. One is the achievement gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. The second is the knowledge gap that permeates the system—the lack of knowledge about the history, cultures, and perspec-tives of Indigenous peoples in Canada. 1 In order to close these gaps, we need targeted programs, resources and professional development. All students will benefit from a deeper understanding of Canada’s history of colonization and its influence on current relationships between Indig-enous and non-Indigenous people. 2

In this report, we examine the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, new data from People for Education’s 2015/16 Annual School Survey as it relates to Ontario’s provincial Indigenous Education Policy, and a recently released paper from Dr. Pamela Toulouse outlining the benefits of an Indigenous approach to education and the importance of broader goals for our public education system. Together, these three perspectives begin to articulate a possible way forward that will engender real change for all students.

With the rich number of local First Nations and a willingness to interact with our schools, we are blessed to have…support and opportunities for staff and students to be immersed in FNMI culture, historical and spiritual learning, and to celebrate and foster knowledge-building and ways to address and continue to learn and implement the Ministry of Education FNMI goals and programming. Elementary school, Peterborough, Victoria & Northumberland CDSB

THE CALLS TO ACTION

We are governed in our approach to reconciliation with this thought: the way that we have all been educated in this country…has brought us to where we are today—to a point where the psychological and emotional well-being of aboriginal children has been harmed, and the relationship between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people has been seriously damaged… but education holds the key to making things better… if we agree on the objective of reconciliation, and agree to work together, the work we do today, will immeasurably strengthen the social fabric of canada tomorrow. 3, the honourable justice murray sinclair chair, truth and reconciliation commission of canada.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) was established in 2009 to examine the impact of Canada’s Indian Residential School system, and bear witness to the stories of survivors and those affected by these schools. The Commission released its final report in December, 2015.

In this landmark report, the TRC included several ‘Calls to Action’ related to education. 4 If implemented, these actions will help to close both the achievement gap and the knowl-edge gap identified above, an essential part of the reconcilia-tion process.

According to Justice Murray Sinclair, chair of the TRC, educa-tion provides one of the greatest hopes for repairing cultural attitudes, redressing the legacy of Indian Residential Schools, and advancing the process of reconciliation.

The Calls to Action specifically related to ‘education for reconciliation’ include:

• Make age-appropriate curriculum on residen-tial schools, Treaties, and Indigenous peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for kindergarten to grade 12 students.
• Provide the necessary funding to post-secondary institutions to educate teachers on how to integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into classrooms.
• Establish senior-level positions in government, at the Assistant Deputy Minister level or higher, dedicated to Indigenous content in education.

The TRC also calls for the Council of Ministers of Education of Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Indigenous education issues, including:

• Developing and implementing kindergarten to grade 12 curriculum and learning resources on Indigenous peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools.
• Sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Indigenous history.
• Building student capacity for intercultural under-standing, empathy, and mutual respect.
• Identifying teacher-training needs relating to the above. 5

MOVING TOWARD RECONCILIATION: WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ONTARIO’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The overriding issues affecting indigenous student achievement are a lack of awareness among teachers of the particular learning styles of indigenous stu-dents, and a lack of understanding within schools and school boards of first nation, métis, and inuit cultures, histories, and perspectives…it is essential that first nation, métis, and inuit students are engaged and feel welcome in school, and that they see themselves and their cultures in the curriculum and the school community. 6.

In 2007, Ontario’s Ministry of Education introduced its First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework, which identifies specific goals aimed at closing both the achieve-ment gap for Indigenous students and the knowledge gap experienced by all students. In the framework, 2016 was set as the target date for achieving these goals. 7

Since 2014, People for Education has been surveying Ontar-io’s schools to find out about Indigenous education pro-grams, resources and challenges. While the public attention focused on First Nations education on reserves is under-standable, it is less well-known that in Ontario, as in most provinces, the vast majority (82%) of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students attend provincially-funded schools. 8

The First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Frame-work has led to some progress, but data from People for Education’s 2016 Annual School Survey and from Ontario’s

Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) show that the Ministry’s goals are unlikely to be achieved within the established timeline. The last available data from the EQAO (2011/12) shows a gap of more than 20 percentage points on reading, writing and math test scores between First Nations students and all students in English language school boards. 9 While People for Education’s data show some improvements, there are still significant gaps in areas such as professional development for teachers and resources for schools with high proportions of Indigenous students.

IMPLEMENTING THE FIRST NATION, MÉTIS, AND INUIT POLICY FRAMEWORK : PEOPLE FOR EDUCATION ANNUAL SCHOOL SURVEY RESULTS SHOW PROGRESS

In 2014, the Ministry of Education introduced an Implemen-tation Plan for the First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework. 10 The plan includes strategies and initia-tives to be undertaken by the Ministry and school boards with several identified goals, including:

• improved achievement and graduation rates for Indigenous students;
• increased number of Indigenous teaching and non-teaching staff;
• increased participation of Indigenous parents in their children’s education; and
• integration of educational opportunities so that all children and educators have increased knowledge about the cultures, traditions, and perspectives of Indigenous peoples.

Education provides one of the greatest hopes for repairing cultural attitudes, redressing the legacy of Indian Residential Schools, and advancing the process of reconciliation. Justice Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

Over the past several years, the province and school boards have been working to integrate Indigenous perspectives and knowledge throughout the K-12 curriculum, making progress toward the TRC’s Call to Action regarding mandatory cur-riculum. 11 People for Education’s 2016 survey results show that Ontario schools have made some important gains in providing Indigenous education opportunities.

• 31% of elementary schools and 53% of secondary schools report providing professional develop-ment for staff, an increase from 25% and 34% respectively in 2014.
• 29% of elementary schools and 49% of secondary schools report hosting Indigenous guest speakers, an increase from 23% and 39% respectively in 2014.
• 13% of elementary schools and 38% of secondary schools report consulting with Indigenous community members, an increase from 12% and 27% respectively in 2014.

While there has been marked progress toward embedding Indigenous education into Ontario’s schools, there are still challenges to be addressed:

• The majority of schools do not offer Indigenous education activities such as language programs, cultural support programs, guest speakers, and ceremonies.
• Secondary schools have a much higher rate of participation in Indigenous education initiatives than elementary schools.
• Rural areas are more likely to provide Indigenous education and supports than urban communities (this may be a reflection of the higher propor-tions of First Nations, Métis and Inuit students in rural schools).
• Some survey respondents commented that their schools contained too few First Nations, Métis or Inuit students to warrant a specific focus on Indigenous education, illustrating the need to ensure that educators understand that Indig-enous education is important for all

SUPPORTING TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The TRC, in its Calls to Action, recognized that teachers need the appropriate skills, knowledge and resources to “integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into their class-rooms”. 12 By developing their knowledge of FNMI histories, cultures, perspectives, and approaches to learning, teachers are better able to support Indigenous students and increase awareness and knowledge among non-Indigenous students.

Results from People for Education’s 2015/16 Annual School Survey show a substantial improvement in professional devel-opment opportunities being provided to school staff. Over the past two years, the percentage of elementary schools offering related professional development has increased from 25%

to 31%. Over the same period, the percentage of secondary schools offering related professional development opportuni-ties increased from 34% to 53%. In one program, 2000 teachers in the Toronto District School Board spent a day at the Aborig-inal Education Centre learning about treaties and land rights. 13

Additional research will be needed to evaluate the impact of these professional learning opportunities on teaching and learning in the classroom.

One way to ensure that teaching staff have the requisite knowledge to integrate Indigenous education into their class-rooms is to include courses in Indigenous culture and history in teacher education programs, as the TRC recommended. Some universities have taken great strides in this area:

• York University has embedded Indigenous perspectives throughout its Education program, and offers a BEd (Indigenous Teacher Education) Concurrent program designed “to prepare teacher candidates to meet the needs of teaching Indig-enous material in appropriately respectful ways to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.” 14
• Lakehead University has made Indigenous-focused courses a degree requirement for all disciplines. 15
• Trent University offers an Indigenous Bachelor of Education program for students who self-identify as Indigenous. The program promises to “put Aboriginal knowledge and perspectives at the forefront of teacher training.” 16

However, the majority of universities do not require teacher candidates to take any Indigenous-focused courses, even though Ontario’s teacher education program has been extended from one to two years.

The principal shares her knowledge and experiences from the last few years of training. We work in grade teams to provide educational opportunities for all students on Aboriginal perspectives and culture. We have a community member who will be working with the staff on the Medicine Wheel teachings and the Seven Sacred Teachings. Elementary school, Toronto DSB

FUNDING CHALLENGES

A common concern among this year’s survey participants was a lack of funding to support Indigenous programming.

On the 2016 surveys, some principals commented that they did not receive as much funding for Indigenous cultural opportunities as schools with higher Indigenous popula-tions. This may be a result of targeted funding in the First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Supplement that provides a base amount to all school boards to support implementa-tion of the FNMI Education Policy Framework, plus additional support for boards with higher proportions of First Nations, Métis and Inuit students.

In the 2016/17 school year, school boards will receive $64 million to support First Nations, Métis and Inuit education. The funding is divided into five categories:

• Native Languages Allocation – $9.9 million;
• First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Studies Allocation – $24.8 million;
• Per-Pupil Amount (PPA) Allocation – $23.4 million; and
• Board Action Plans (BAP) Allocation – $6.0 million. 17

This year, for the first time, the Ministry has included funding in the basic per-pupil allocation which school boards must use to establish a supervisory officer-level position focused on the implementation of the First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework . Responsibilities will include “working with First Nation, Métis, and Inuit com-munities, organizations, students and families…supporting programs to build the knowledge and awareness of all stu-dents about Indigenous histories, cultures, perspectives, and contributions; and supporting implementation of Indigenous self-identification policies in each board.”18 Boards are not only required to spend at least half of the targeted amount on this dedicated position, but they must also confirm that any remaining amount has been used to support the First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Framework .

This year the Ministry will also begin to phase in data from the 2011 National Household Survey, which will be used to allocate the Per-Pupil Funding Amount. In addition, 45% of the funding for the Board Action Plans will be allocated based on voluntary Indigenous student self-identification. By the end of the phase-in period, it is expected that the 2016 Census data will be available for use in implementing further updates. More accurate demographic data will help to ensure that funding is allocated where it is needed.

Since the person who carries the Aboriginal portfolio also has numerous other responsi-bilities, and our school would not be a priority school, I feel as though we are missing out on many wonderful learning opportunities for the Aboriginal students within our building. Elementary school, Superior North CDSB

INDIGENIZING EDUCATION: INTEGRATING INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES

There are several signs of progress in Indigenous education in Ontario’s publicly funded schools. Curriculum is being infused with Indigenous perspectives, more related profes-sional development is being provided to educators, and schools are offering more Indigenous education activities for students. However, the biggest challenge ahead may be in achieving true indigenization of education—the integration of Indigenous perspectives and ways of knowing throughout the education system.

According to Dr. Pamela Toulouse, associate professor at Laurentian University, defining success more broadly, and emphasizing a more holistic, interconnected approach to education would benefit both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. The TRC called for integrating Indigenous knowl-edge and teaching methods into classrooms, and a new paper by Dr. Toulouse outlines how this can be done.19

“Indigenous issues, Indigenous pedagogy and respec-tive educational interconnections complement the holistic aspects of student achievement described in Measuring What Matters. Communities of difference share a vision of success that is highly valuable for all students—a vision based on the recognition that  identity, culture, language and worldview are equally critical to literacy, numeracy and standardized notions of assessment. 20 Dr. Pamela Toulouse

In her paper, What Matters in Indigenous Education: Implementing a Vision Committed to Holism, Diversity and Engagement , 21 Dr. Toulouse describes how Indigenous knowl-edge and teaching methods fit within People for Education’s Measuring What Matters initiative, with its focus on broad-ening the definition of school success beyond literacy and numeracy. 22

According to Toulouse, the concept of living a good life—a balance between the physical (body and comprehen-sive health), the emotional (relationships to self, others, and the earth), the intellectual (natural curiosity and love of learning), and the spiritual (the lived conscientiousness and footprint that a being leaves in this world) —is an important way of defining success for Indigenous peoples. She frames the competencies and conditions identified in Measuring What Matters within a broader Indigenous worldview through the teachings of the Medicine Wheel.

“The medicine wheel…demonstrates that everything is connected and everything is sacred…Each domain reflects aspects of a human being that makes them whole; the east is the physical, the south is the emo-tional, the west is the intellectual and the north is the spiritual. Balance in each is key.” 23 Dr. Pamela Toulouse

In her paper, Toulouse offers a holistic model of a quality learning environment,with the student in the centre, inter-acting with his or her classroom, school, community, and global environments.

Toulouse identifies and adapts some of the key conditions of quality learning environments identified in the Measuring What Matters framework 24 that can have an impact on Indigenous student achievement. These factors are particularly important within the historical context of colo-nialism, racism, social exclusion, poverty, and the many other issues that have an

ongoing effect on Indigenous students:

• A classroom that is welcoming, inclusive of stu-dent voice, and sets high expectations for all stu-dents; where classroom activities are culturally relevant and encourage exploration; and where student learning is expressed in a variety of forms that honour diversity, and challenge stu-dents to try different methods.
• A school environment where leadership is shared and collaboration is valued; where community members with diverse experience work with stu-dents and staff; and where supports are available for students facing challenges.

In examining the conditions in the community that support student success, Toulouse uses an Indigenous definition of ‘community,’ one that is “inclusive of all beings (humans, plants, animals, seen, unseen), and the interconnections that exist amongst them.” 25 The key conditions include:

• Meaningful school–community partnerships based in reciprocity, trust, and respect.
• Mental health, anti-bullying, and substance abuse programs that use culturally relevant tools/ resources.
• Support for students to develop enriched definitions of community and engage in action-oriented projects that reflect those expanded descriptions.
• Involvement of Elders, Métis Senators, and knowl-edge keepers in monitoring domain competencies in relation to student learning and school practices. 26

In the global context, an Indigenous perspective includes a decolonization focus and “recognizing and living with the earth as our mother.” 27 The key competencies include:

• Students understand and “confront the condi-tions and unequal power relations that have created unequal advantage and privilege among nations.” 28
• Promotion of Indigenous earth knowledge and sacred connections to land as fundamental to “developing a sense of purpose…[life meaning]… and social existence.” 29
• Integrating the “idea of pursuing schooling and education as a communal resource intended for the good of humanity.” 30
• Connections with learners across the globe to share experiences and discuss the challenges that these generations face; with creative action as an outcome.

In relation to the other domains in Measuring What Matters— health, creativity, citizenship and social-emotional learning— Dr. Toulouse found alignment with Indigenous beliefs in a holistic approach to education, where education is life-long and focuses on the development of the whole person.

Across Ontario, there is a strong commitment to improving Indigenous education for all students. And real change is evident: this year, for the first time, the Ministry engaged First Nations, Métis, and Inuit education partners in discus-sions on education funding to support equitable outcome for all students; there are improvements in schools’ support for Indigenous learning; and universities are making changes to their programs for future teachers.

In order to ensure that we continue to make progress toward reconciliation:

• The Ministry should establish mandatory curric-ulum on Indigenous education for all Bachelor of Education programs and ensure that all educators receive high quality professional development.
• Currently, Ontario has an Aboriginal Education Office, which falls within the responsibility of the Assistant Deputy Minister for French Language, Aboriginal Learning and Research. The Ministry of Education should appoint a specific Assistant Deputy Minister for Indigenous Education, as called for by the TRC.
• First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities must be involved at all levels (schools, school boards, and the Ministry) in the development of strategies and professional development for educators to support Indigenous education.
• The Ministry should collect data on Indigenous student achievement in order to be able to mea-sure progress toward closing the achievement gap.

In its Calls to Action, the TRC called for changes that would support teachers in integrating Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into the classroom. People for Educa-tion’s Measuring What Matters initiative provides a potential roadmap for fundamental change in the system. That change may provide a greater chance for success for all students, and for Indigenous students in particular. The measures

of success identified in Measuring What Matters align with the Indigenous belief in a holistic approach to education, where education is life-long and focuses on the development of the whole person. In defining success more broadly, we also make progress toward truly indigenizing the education system and bringing about the reconciliation called for by the TRC.

• Dion, S.D. (2009). Braiding Histories Learning From Aboriginal Peoples Experiences and Perspectives . Vancouver: UBC Press
• Dion, S.D.; Johnston, K.; Rice, C.M. (2010). Decolonizing Our Schools: Aboriginal Education in the Toronto District School Board , p. 35. Retrieved DATE from http://www.tdsb.on.ca/www-docu- ments/programs/aboriginal_voices/docs/Decolonizing%20 Our%20 Schools%203.pdf
• Sinclair, M. (2014). Education: Cause and solution. The Manitoba Teacher 93 (3). Retrived from http://www.mbteach.org/library/ Archives/MBTeacher/Dec14_MBT.pdf
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Educa-tion for Reconciliation. In Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. Retrieved from http://nctr.ca/assets/ reports/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf
• Government of Ontario. (2007). Ontario First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework. Retrieved from https://www. gov.on.ca/eng/aboriginal/fnmiFramework.pdf. Pg. 6.
• Ministry of Education, Ontario (2013), A Solid Foundation: Second Progress Report on Ontario’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit Frame-work. Toronto: Government of Ontario, p. 11, citing preliminary data from Statistics Canada’s 2011National Household Survey.
• Ibid. Pg. 28.
• Government of Ontario. (2014). Implementation Plan: Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework. Retrieved from https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/aboriginal/OFNImplementa-tionPlan.pdf
• Government of Ontario. (2009). Aboriginal Perspectives: A Guide to the Teacher’s Toolkit Retrieved from https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/ eng/aboriginal/Guide_Toolkit2009.pdf; Government of Ontario. (2014). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 and Kindergarten Program: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Connections. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/ elementaryFNMI.pdf; Government of Ontario. (2014). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9-12: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Connec-tions. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/ secondary/SecondaryFNMI.pdf
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Educa-tion for Reconciliation. In Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. Retrieved from http://nctr.ca/assets/ reports/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf. Pg. 7.
• Brown, L. (2015, December 4). TDSB course mixes art with First Nations studies. The Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://www. thestar.com/yourtoronto/education/2015/12/04/tdsb-course-mixes-art-with-first-nations-studies.html
• York University. (n.d.). Education: General Information. Faculty Rules. Retrieved from http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/2012-2013/faculty_rules/ED/gen_info.htm
• Lakehead University (n.d.). Indigenous Content Requirement. Aboriginal Initiatives. Retrieved from https://www.lakeheadu.ca/ faculty-and-staff/departments/services/ai/icr
• Trent University. (n.d.). Indigenous Bachelor of Education. Retrieved from https://www.trentu.ca/futurestudents/program/ indigenous-bachelor-education
• Government of Ontario. (2015) Education Funding: Technical Paper. Toronto: Ontario Ministry of Educa-tion, retrieved from https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/ funding/1617/2016_technical_paper_en.pdf
• Sékaly, G.F. (2016). Grants for Students Needs changes for 2015-16 and 1016-17 [Memorandum]. P.4. Retrieved from http://www. edu.gov.on.ca/eng/funding/1617/2016B06_en.pdf
• Toulouse, P. (2016). What Matters in Indigenous Education: Imple-menting a Vision Committed to Holism, Diversity and Engagement. In Measuring What Matters, People for Education. Toronto: March, 2016.
• Cameron, D., Watkins, E., & Kidder, A (2015). Measuring What Matters 2014-15: Moving from theory to practice. In Measuring What Matters, People for Education. Toronto: November 3, 2015.
• Bascia, N. (2014). The School Context Model: How School Environ-ments Shape Students’ Opportunities to Learn . In Measuring What Matters, People for Education. Toronto: November 8, 2014.
• Toulouse, P. (2016). What Matters in Indigenous Education: Imple-menting a Vision Committed to Holism, Diversity and Engagement. In Measuring What Matters, People for Education. Toronto: March, 2016. P. 13.
• Ibid. p. 14
• Sefa Dei, G.J. (2014). Reflecting on Global Dimensions of Contem-porary Education. In D. Montemurro, M. Gambhir, M. Evans & K. Broad (Eds.), Inquiry into Practice: Learning and Teaching Global Matters in Local Classrooms (pp. 9-11). Toronto, ON: Ontario Insti-tute for Studies in Education. Quoted in Toulouse, P. (2016). What Matters in Indigenous Education: Implementing a Vision Com-mitted to Holism, Diversity and Engagement. In Measuring What Matters, People for Education. Toronto: March, 2016. P. 14

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Ontario has 'come quite far' on Indigenous education but there's much more to be done: report

People for education recommends indigenous studies course in place of grade 11 english/french.

Social Sharing

Publicly funded schools in Ontario have made significant progress on Indigenous education over the last decade, but there's still more to be done before the province can say it's fully implemented the education-related calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,  a new report says.

The report  was published Monday by the public education research and advocacy organization People for Education, and includes findings from the 2022-23 Annual Ontario School Survey. It provides an overview of Ontario's progress in implementing Indigenous education strategies and responding to the commission's recommendations. 

Among the findings:

• The proportion of schools reporting professional development for school staff on Indigenous education has more than doubled over the last decade for elementary schools, from 34 per cent in 2012-13 to 76 per cent in 2022-23, and for secondary schools, from 34 per cent in 2012-13 to 82 per cent in 2022-23.
• 72 per cent of secondary schools reported offering an Indigenous studies course in 2022-23, compared to 40 per cent of secondary schools in 2013-14.
• From 2012 to 2022, the proportion of schools offering Indigenous languages programs has increased from four per cent to 13 per cent in elementary schools, and from 11 per cent to 20 per cent in secondary schools.
• 14 school boards are replacing the compulsory Grade 11 English course with an Indigenous-focused course centred on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit voices.

'We've actually come quite far'

People for Education's executive director, Annie Kidder, says the report said "we actually have come quite far" in terms of Indigenous studies in public schools in Ontario.

"It's one of those pretty good news stories with some gaps in it," Kidder told CBC Toronto.

The percentage of schools offering professional development to teachers in Indigenous education stood out for Kidder.

"[It] had more than doubled in the last 10 years," she said. "We see a huge increase in the proportion of schools offering Indigenous studies … which is another sort of huge move forward."

• As more high schools add Indigenous-focused compulsory courses, some warn against a siloed approach
• Ontario announces new Indigenous curriculum for Grades 1-3

The executive director said there is, generationally, a greater understanding among young people about the importance of learning about history, culture, "the contributions that Indigenous people make, and all of the terrible, terrible wrongs that have been done by colonialism."

"There's a lot that the non-Indigenous system could be learning from Indigenous education. So, it's not a one way street here and that's very important too," Kidder said.

The report — which is based on responses from 1,044 principals from all of Ontario's 72 publicly funded school boards — show that some schools have developed strong partnerships with local Indigenous communities. But many others say they need more support from their school board and the Ministry of Education to be successful. 

Generally, schools in northern Ontario were more likely to offer Indigenous education opportunities, while schools in the GTA were least likely to offer them.

More training needed, says professor

Brock Pitawanakwat, coordinator of the Indigenous program at York University, says there's a need for staff who have been "effectively trained" to deliver Indigenous courses.

"I'm in my mid-40s now and looking back, often Indigenous education was something that I think teachers struggled with because they hadn't received this education themselves," Pitawanakwat told CBC News.

Brock, an associate professor, believes mandatory Indigenous studies would have "great value" in Ontario schools, but says he doesn't see that happening anytime soon under the Doug Ford government. 

"There have been some initiatives that have come out at the provincial level to have a new Indigenous curriculum and the current government hasn't shown itself to be particularly supportive of that," Pitawanakwat said.

"For instance, one of the first things the Ford government did when it came into power was to scrap a new curriculum initiative  that had Indigenous peoples involved," he said.

Challenges along the way

A spokesperson for Education Minister Stephen Lecce said the government has been clear about its commitment to ensure Indigenous perspectives are present in Ontario schools.

Grace Lee said Monday's report notes "many successes" over the previous several years, including "a significant increase in schools offering Indigenous studies courses and a new social science curriculum that ensures students learn about residential schools."

Lee said the government is investing nearly $167 million for next school year to support Indigenous learning in the classroom, including the Indigenous Graduation Coach Program, which helps students access mentorship, supports leadership development, and leads them to good-paying jobs.

According to People for Education, over the last 16 years, Indigenous education policy in Ontario has been punctuated by reports, frameworks, goals, and changes to funding. 

The organization noted that there have been commitments to improve the outcomes of Indigenous students, promises to work with Indigenous partners to increase all students' knowledge of Indigenous perspectives, histories, and cultures, and guidelines to support school boards in implementing voluntary, confidential self-identification processes for Indigenous students.  

• Ontario cancels curriculum rewrite that would boost Indigenous content
• Indigenous educators puzzled, disappointed after Ontario cancels TRC curriculum writing sessions

The province has also made commitments to revise Ontario's social studies and history curriculum for Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10, it says. And while some curriculum has been revised and a new elementary social studies curriculum has been promised for the fall of 2023, there have been challenges along the way, says the group.

Recommendations for province

As part of its report, People for Education made the following recommendations to the Ministry of Education.

• Mandate the Indigenous studies course in place of Grade 11 English/French at the provincial level, and increase the number of elementary and secondary schools offering Indigenous languages and programs.
• Provide dedicated funding for positions in schools, boards, and government that are focused on promoting and supporting effective programs on Indigenous languages and ways of knowing.
• Convene a task force of diverse and regionally reflective Indigenous educators, Elders, and students to support the Ministry of Education and the 72 publicly funded school boards across Ontario in responding to the Calls to Action regarding education. The group says that work should include the co-development of curriculum and updating the Ontario First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework that was originally published in 2007.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Desmond Brown is a GTA-based freelance writer and editor. You can reach him at: [email protected].

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With files from Ali Chiasson

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IMPORTANCE OF INDIGENOUS EDUCATION AND CULTURE HIGHLIGHTED, AS PERMANENT FORUM CONTINUES SECOND SESSION

Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Second Session 15 th & 16 th Meetings (AM & PM) IMPORTANCE OF INDIGENOUS EDUCATION AND CULTURE HIGHLIGHTED, AS PERMANENT FORUM CONTINUES SECOND SESSION The importance of educating youth in their own cultures, as well as using indigenous languages to educate them, was stressed today during the discussion on culture and education in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Opening the discussion, a representative of the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) observed that millions of children continued to be taught in languages they did not use or even understand.  She added that the participation of indigenous peoples in designing curricula was still limited, and education still fell short of eliminating prejudice and discrimination targeted at indigenous peoples. The lack of indigenous education, emphasized a representative of indigenous youth, would continue to set indigenous youth apart from their own cultures. Stressing that education was the key to self-determination, she recommended that educational instruction take place in indigenous languages. A representative of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido said Ainu children were at a much higher risk of dropping out of school due to the discrimination, which could be addressed by teaching Ainu culture and history in public schools to both Japanese and Ainu children.  At present, Ainu children were deprived of the opportunity to take pride in their indigenous background, which hindered their identification with the Ainu culture and history. Other speakers highlighted the lack of adequate funding for indigenous youth, the difficulties experienced in adapting to western standards, and the high drop-out rate.  Greater attention must be paid to youth who were dropping out of school, they stressed, by offering culturally specific and language assistance. Many recommended that indigenous languages be integrated into national curricula, and urged United Nations agencies to design materials sensitive to the cultural and educational needs of indigenous peoples.  They also stressed that multilingual education should occur at all educational levels, and that indigenous peoples be trained so that they could compete both nationally and internationally. During the morning session on culture, speakers stressed the importance of preserving indigenous languages and sacred sites, as well as recognizing traditional lands and natural resources.  Lamenting the tragic disappearance of entire indigenous cultures, they urged governments to protect traditional languages in national constitutions, and encouraged UNESCO to set up programmes aimed at recovering indigenous culture. Addressing those concerns, a representative of the Alaska Federation of Natives said her culture had fallen prey to government policies emphasizing English at the expense of indigenous languages.  Ignoring those languages had severed ties between indigenous youth and their ancestors, damaging the confidence of her people. Similarly, a representative of the Asia Caucus said indigenous cultures were severely threatened in his region, which was perhaps the most culturally diverse in the world.  Not only was commercial tourism destroying cultural integrity, but mainstream education was distorting indigenous history. UNESCO’s representative stressed that cultural diversity played a vital role in today’s globalized world, and that culture was an essential element of sustainable development.  His organization had decided that tangible heritage should be regulated by an international convention, and was currently preparing another instrument on cultural diversity. Efforts were already being made to halt illicit traffic in cultural artifacts, he added, through UNESCO’s 1997 Convention on the Return of Cultural Property, and some property had been returned.  Cambodia, for example, had recovered 70 objects that had been in the hands of the Khmer Rouge. The representatives of Guatemala, Indonesia, Mexico, Canada and New Zealand also spoke this morning. Other speakers addressing the Forum this morning were the representatives of the Organización de Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonia Colombiana, the Consejo Indio de Sudamerica, the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordination Committee (IPACC), the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, the Consejo Internacional de Tratados Indios (CITI), the Masai Women for Education and Economic Development, the Consultoria de los Pueblos Indígenas en el Norte de Mexico, the Committee on Indigenous Health, the Aldet Centre Saint Lucia, the Pacific Caucus, the Boarding School Caucus, the European Parliament, the Confederaciones Nacionalidades Indigenas del Ecuador (CONAIE), the World Festival, the Rapa Nui Parliament, and the Parliamento Indígena America. Statements were also made this afternoon by the representatives of Sweden, Brazil, Myanmar, Belize (on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Bangladesh, Nepal and Mexico, as well as the Observer for the Holy See. In addition, the representatives of the Pacific Caucus, the Navajo Nation, Inuit Youth International, the Canadian Teacher’s Federation and Education International, the Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, the former Indigenous fellows of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Asia-Pacific Indigenous Youth Network, the Organización de los Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonia Columbiana, the Asia Indigenous Caucus, the Consejo Internacional de Tratados Indios (CITI), St. Johns Mission and the Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordination Committee (IPACC), the Boarding School Caucus, the Global Teaching and Learning Project, Consejo Nacional Indio de Venezuela, Projecto de Desarollo Santiago-Prodessa-Plataforma MAYA, the Indigenous People’s Caucus on Sustainable Development, the Aldet Centre Saint Lucia, and the Regional Action Group for the Environment also spoke. The Permanent Forum will meet again at 3 p.m. on Thursday, 22 May to discuss its future work. Background The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues met this morning to discuss its agenda item on culture.  It was also expected to take up consideration of education. (For background information, see Press Release HR/4658, issued on 8 May.) Statements AYITEGAU KOUEVI, Forum member from Togo, summarizing Tuesday’s discussion of human rights issues, said that many speakers had stressed the importance of respecting the human rights of indigenous peoples as guaranteed in various treaties and the United Nations Charter.  They also emphasized the need for effective coordination between the Forum, the Working Group on Indigenous Populations, and the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Indigenous Populations. Many called on the Special Rapporteur to prepare a report summarizing flagrant violations of human rights in coordination with the Forum and United Nations agencies.  In that connection, the Economic and Social Council should provide the funding for visits to various parts of the world. It was also recommended, he continued, that the Committee on the Rights of the Child should provide in their reports relevant information on youth and children worldwide.  Speakers also appealed to States and governments to adopt the draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.  In addition, they asked for a global conference with States and indigenous peoples to discuss indigenous treaty questions. Speakers also stressed the need for reparation for abusive treatment and slavery that had been imposed on indigenous peoples, he said.  Many recommended that the World Bank hold a round table with the Forum and other bodies representing indigenous peoples.  The Bank should also establish a mechanism to carry out a dialogue with indigenous peoples, and implement programmes with the full participation of indigenous peoples. Other Forum members suggested that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights prepare an in-depth study of how indigenous issues were being addressed in different States.  Information should also be provided by regional organizations on how indigenous issues had been addressed in their respective mechanisms. Forum members also asked the United Nations and Member States to promote the self-determination of indigenous peoples in all areas, maintaining their right to participate in the social and cultural life of States.  The United Nations should also promote programmes to eradicate racism and gender discrimination in those States where indigenous peoples lived, they said. YAYAN G.H. MULYANA ( Indonesia ), responding to statements made by some non-governmental organization delegations under the agenda item of human rights, said that his country attached great significance to the promotion and protection of the human rights of indigenous peoples.  Within the context of his country, promoting human rights meant promoting the human rights of all Indonesians, as all Indonesian peoples were indigenous.  Nevertheless, he recognized that some indigenous groups in Indonesia were less developed than others.  In that respect, Indonesia promoted the economic, social and cultural rights of indigenous peoples through autonomy and special autonomy, such as in the region of West Papua. In the implementation process of autonomy and special autonomy, he noted some obstacles, including human resources and institutional capacities, as well as policy development.  He stressed the importance of coordination and communication between governments and their constituents at the local level and said that the Government of Indonesia was committed to make autonomy and special autonomy a viable mechanism. FREDERICK VACHERON, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said that recommendations from the Forum’s first report had allowed his organization to identify specific issues relating to the cultural biodiversity of indigenous peoples.  The UNESCO had decided that tangible heritage should be regulated by an international convention, and a preliminary draft would be presented to its thirty-second session next fall. He stressed that cultural diversity was important today in the face of globalization, since culture played a vital role in sustainable development.  The UNESCO was currently debating whether it was timely to adopt an international legal instrument defining cultural diversity.  The organization was also working on the initial draft of a convention on immaterial heritage, which would be an important element among other UNESCO conventions in the area. The world heritage list, he noted, included many sites of importance for indigenous peoples, and members of the World Heritage Committee had encouraged the establishment of a network identifying heritage sites.  Regarding oral and immaterial heritage, UNESCO was working to give expression to popular tradition, such as mythology, and traditional skills.  It had also addressed indigenous languages.  A meeting in Paris in March 2003 had drawn up an action plan dealing with vital issues relating to the preservation of indigenous languages.  He encouraged partnerships with the Forum in various efforts UNESCO was involved in to preserve indigenous culture. Comments from Forum Forum members expressed appreciation for the UNESCO initiative to encourage partnership with the Forum, and stressed the importance of the organization’s work with young people.  Others questioned whether UNESCO was doing anything to push forward initiatives on linguistic rights. Members also questioned whether UNESCO, in coordination with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), was planning to consult with indigenous peoples in examining the link between the environment and cultural diversity.  They also asked how UNESCO would be cooperating with the Forum in future, since the organization’s initiatives were important for the preservation of indigenous culture, languages and religions. A Forum member asked whether UNESCO was working in close cooperation with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and what strategies UNESCO intended to use in establishing a permanent and sustainable dialogue with the Permanent Forum. The illicit traffic of cultural property was a significant problem, a Forum member said.  Indigenous cultural artefacts were now to be found in the major museums of Europe and North America.  What measures was UNESCO taking to halt that illicit traffic?  Such sacred objects had to be returned to their places of origin for the benefit of the indigenous peoples. A Forum member said that indigenous peoples’ cultures should be respected and protected, and it was the responsibility of governments to protect cultural characteristics.  Education was an important measure in preserving those cultural characteristics.  Bilingual systems should be used so that such heritage could be maintained. Another Forum member said that a crucial issue for indigenous peoples was their sacred sites, which were the focal points of ceremonial life.  They were often the centres of communication with divine powers, and ceremonies were performed there that signified the revitalization of indigenous peoples.  She asked UNESCO about their specific work to promote the registration and protection of protected sites. Response from UNESCO Mr. VACHERON said a legal instrument relating to tangible heritage would be presented to UNESCO in 2003.  A second was presently being prepared on cultural diversity, which would be discussed at UNESCO’s 2003 general conference.  It had become evident that a more binding text than previous ones was necessary.  He drew attention to the distinctions between the two instruments, stating that the interrelationship between them would be discussed by UNESCO in the coming months.  He then defined intangible heritage as the practices, expression, knowledge and know-how that communities, groups or individuals recognized as part of their intangible heritage. Regarding cooperation between UNESCO and UNEP, he noted that the two organizations had jointly organized a round table at the Johannesburg Summit.  In addition, biodiversity and cultural diversity would be the subject of discussion and activities between UNESCO and UNEP.  Regarding the restitution of plundered goods, he drew attention to UNESCO’s 1997 Convention on the Return of Cultural Property.  Currently, a certain amount of property was being returned.  Cambodia, for example, had recovered 70 objects that had been in the hands of the Khmer Rouge. With respect to spirituality, there was the proposed convention on intangible heritage, and UNESCO also had a programme on intercultural and spiritual heritage. Statements CECIL LE FLEUR, of the Griqua National Conference of South Africa and the National Khoi-San Conference, recommended that the Forum urge the South African Government to review its land reform policy, so that indigenous people could lay claims to ancestral lands.  It should also speed up its programme for the revival of indigenous languages, set up cultural villages with training programmes for youth, adopt an action plan on endangered languages, and make cultural studies more widely available. The Khoi-San had suffered more than other groups as far as cultural extinction was concerned.  They had lost every square metre of their lands, their languages and traditions had been alienated, and they had been forced to adopt western European culture and speak the language of the colonizer. Many desperately wanted to know who they were and how they could be reconnected to their roots. JORGE GOMEZ, speaking on behalf of the Consejo Indio de Sudamerica (CISA), the Aymara Parliament and the Aymara Alliance, stressed the importance of water for the survival of indigenous cultures.  Cultures had often developed alongside water sources, and droughts had caused many indigenous cultures to die, he said. For example, indigenous communities in Bolivia that had used water for their survival had been forced to travel to Argentina to find work.  The privatization of water was unethical from an indigenous perspective.  Indigenous peoples could not afford water; it was a necessity and not a commodity.  Furthermore, whole communities had been flooded as a result of dam building.  Many communities that had been dependent on the rivers and springs were powerless, hungry and thirsty. HASSAN IDBALKASSM, speaking on behalf of the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordination Committee, said that non-democratic political cultures in many African countries had led to the destruction of many important aspects of the cultural rights of the indigenous peoples of Africa.  Indigenous peoples were not allowed to participate in cultural decision-making and indigenous cultures were not recognized.  He recommended that the Forum present a recommendation to the Economic and Social Council calling upon governments to approve democratic cultural policies that allowed for the right of participation in cultural life for indigenous peoples.  He also requested that the Forum come up with recommendations that would allow the indigenous peoples to have control over their own resources. A representative of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and Central Michigan University said that scientists and scholars alike would like to make people believe that the knowledge children and students from all backgrounds acquired at university and other levels was inclusive, because it was based on universal values, culture, and tradition. However, one did not have to get to the university level to know that what was taught at different levels of education was grounded in the European culture.  Given that culture and the language of teaching and learning, very little was drawn from other ways of knowing that were grounded in indigenous tradition, which brought a different perspective and focus.  Indigenous ways of knowing were often discounted and discredited as non-scientific because they were rooted in the story of the people, their language, culture, art, mythology and spirituality. ESTEBANCIO CASTRO, of the Consejo Internacional de Tratodos Indios (CITI) and associated groups, urged States to recognize indigenous languages in national constitutions, and adopt the draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.  The Forum should ensure that UNESCO and institutions of the Chilean Government take measures to protect sacred sites. Culture was a major part of the survival of indigenous peoples, he continued.  It was important to recognize the right of indigenous peoples to land, resources and sacred sites.  He drew attention to the disappearance of languages and sacred sites and, therefore, entire cultures.  To counteract that tragedy, the international community must recognize the rights of indigenous people to their lands and territories.  The UNESCO must develop programmes to recover the cultural values of indigenous peoples.  Cultural lessons were embodied in customs, memories and daily action, and must be maintained for the survival of the people. MARY SIMAT, representative of the Masai Women for Education and Economic Development, World Council of Churches and other organizations, said that in light of the endangered status of indigenous languages, the United Nations should sponsor an international year of indigenous languages for 2005.  That year would highlight the critical status of those languages and provide strategies for their revitalization.  She called for funding from States for language revitalization programmes, especially considering that they had often been the instigators of the damage done.  She said that an indigenous language fund should be established, and called on Member States to repeal discriminatory legislation against indigenous languages.  She urged the development of clear strategies to promote indigenous languages so that they could continue to be spoken by future generations. The representative of the Consultoria de los Pueblos Indígenas en el Norte de Mexico said that the Forum should make recommendations to the Government of Mexico to prevent the perpetration of human rights abuses against indigenous peoples.  She recommended that the Economic and Social Council ensure full compliance by the Government of Mexico to all agreements that protected the rights of indigenous peoples.  Indigenous peoples had become victims in Mexico only because they wished to defend and protect their cultures.  For example, there was a growing number of murders of indigenous women in Chihuahua.  Also, indigenous peoples living in Baja California saw their rights being violated in every way, and the health of their children was at risk. A representative of the Asia Caucus said that indigenous cultures had always been under threat in his region, which was perhaps the most culturally diverse in the world.  Commercial tourism, in particular, was destroying the cultural integrity of many indigenous groups in Asia.  Mainstream education had distorted indigenous history and presented indigenous cultures in a derogatory manner.  Also, programmes were lacking to promote the integrity of indigenous culture, based on indigenous concepts of development.  If the autonomy of indigenous groups was not respected, their cultures would not survive. He recommended the immediate review of the national educational curriculum of Asian countries, particularly their manner of presenting the culture and history of indigenous peoples.  The Forum should encourage governments and United Nations agencies to review policies concerning cultural diversity, and encourage UNESCO to promote workshops highlighting indigenous cultures as a priority concern. The representative of Guatemala said the international community must nurture and support the Forum, which offered an interesting combination of wisdom and diversity.  Its secretariat must be provided with more resources, and efforts should be made to link the Forum with the many non-governmental organizations present at the session. More than half of his country was populated by indigenous peoples, he said, who had been subjected to outrageous discrimination for centuries.  Among measures adopted in recent years to counteract that was the Law against Discrimination, and the Law on Recognition and Use of Indigenous Languages.  Other decrees had created mechanisms for protecting indigenous sacred places, and other aspects of their cultures. JOSE CARLOS MORALES, representative of the Committee on Indigenous Health, said that the Forum should encourage Member States to include indigenous representatives in the delegations that they sent to the intergovernmental committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).  He called on WIPO to continue to work and to coordinate with the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and UNESCO.  It was also important to establish a specific regime for the legal protection of indigenous peoples, he said. ELIZABETH SAAGULIK HENSLEY, representative of the Alaska Federation of Natives and the Indigenous Youth Caucus, said that many Alaska Native peoples continued to suffer from government policies that called for the mastering of the English language, but ignored indigenous languages or, at best, taught them as foreign languages.  Ignoring those languages was detrimental to her peoples' confidence, as it severed ties between indigenous youth and their ancestors. Alaska Natives felt the danger of the disappearance of their languages and were beginning to organize their own schools, she said.  For example, in two Inupiaq villages, community members had established Inupiaq language immersion schools, and others were in the development process.  However, those schools found little financial support and, therefore, served only a small minority of the students interested in attending the schools.  Parents were left with no choice but to send their children to English-speaking public schools designed for Euro-American children. ALBERT DE TERVILLE, on behalf of the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean Antilles, said it was important to understand the mix of indigenous peoples in the Caribbean.  Because of confusion about who they were, it must be made clear that the size of those groups was comparable to indigenous peoples of the United States and Canada jointly.  He recommended that the Forum representative for South America and the Caribbean contact him, because his group did not know who that person was.  He also requested that the Forum seek approval for inclusion of a resident Caribbean expert to advise the Forum on Caribbean people’s issues. The representative of Mexico said agreements had been made between high-ranking bodies in her country to acknowledge sacred sites.  A catalogue had been produced and an attempt would be made to enter into agreements with local authorities, so that they could be used and enjoyed by indigenous peoples.  Regarding the right to language, the country had adopted a general law on language rights for indigenous peoples.  That law stated that all indigenous languages were part of Mexican national heritage, and were valid throughout the entire territory where they were spoken. The representative of the Pacific Caucus said that UNESCO and WIPO should organize a seminar between indigenous peoples, States and United Nations agencies to discuss indigenous cultural rights, in particular, the maintenance of languages.  An effort should also be made by United Nations agencies to protect sacred sites.  The Hawaiian language was in jeopardy, she said, and only about 1,400 students spoke Hawaiian as a second language.  Artefacts had been taken by European nations in Rapa Nui, and those should be returned immediately.  In West Papua, the motif and dances of the native people were being taken over by the peoples of Bali and Java. The representative of the Boarding School Caucus said that culture and language could not be separated, as one died without the other.  She recommended that the Forum urge States to address the continuing effect of boarding school abuses, which included loss of languages and cultures. States should fund language revitalization programmes, which should be managed by indigenous peoples.  She also urged the Forum to call on States to repeal legislation that discriminated against indigenous languages, for example, the United States’ “English only” laws. OFELIA RIVAS, of O’odham (Mexico/United States), Quitovac Sacred Site, said indigenous cultures were becoming extinct due to the loss of land and territories. The relocation of over 12,000 indigenous peoples in her country had led to pain, suffering and death.  The distinct identities of indigenous peoples was linked to the lands they had occupied since the beginning of time. In addition, water was being sacrificed to mining companies for profit, and to be used in faraway cities, she said.  It was being contaminated and might not be available to indigenous people in the future.  Water was sacred, sustaining the life and identity of her people.  She stressed the need for mechanisms to protect the culture of her people.  The Forum’s challenge was to identify how the United Nations could work for indigenous peoples throughout the world. MANUEL MASAQUIZA, of the Confederaciones Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador, said indigenous cultures had been initially threatened when Europe had conquered indigenous lands.  Now, a special name was needed for each indigenous culture, which would be the first act of justice for the inhabitants of those lands.  Indigenous peoples of Ecuador had different origins and nationalities, various cultures, different languages and dialects, and different spiritual practices and beliefs. A representative from the European Parliament said that a special objective of the Parliament was to underline and accept all the different cultures of Europe.  Languages were of great importance for everyone, but even more so for indigenous peoples, he said.  The colonizers from the States of “old Europe” were responsible for many of the crimes against indigenous peoples, including taking indigenous land and properties.  As a member of the European Parliament, he wished to apologize for what had been done in previous centuries.  The 21 million euros spent over the last three years on funding programmes to help indigenous peoples would grow in the future, he said, as the European Parliament wished to give more support to indigenous communities. The European Parliament wanted to strengthen the relationship with the Forum and with representatives of indigenous peoples, he continued.  From July until 31 December, the European Union would have an Italian presidency, led by President Berlusconi.  Mr. Berlusconi had promised that the policy towards indigenous peoples would be one of the priorities of the Italian presidency. The representative of the World Festival (Sports and Culture) said that Montreal would host the 2004 Festival of Games and Sports.  It was a unique opportunity to support physical activity.  The event was being jointly organized with the five indigenous communities from Canada.  Seventy delegations were expected, 15 to 20 of whom would be representing indigenous peoples from all over the world. Questions from Forum A Forum member asked the European Parliament to spell out how the European Union could cooperate with the Forum. The representative of the European Parliament said the European Council and Parliament must first decide that a particular Forum activity must be supported.  It could then provide resources in support of that activity, as a way of assisting indigenous peoples in recovering what had been stolen from them over the last century. Statements A representative of Canada said his country was unique and diverse, shaped by aboriginal people and their culture.  On the international front, it was working with other organizations on cultural policies to promote and further cultural diversity.  The Canadian Government was committed to preserving, revitalizing and promoting indigenous languages and cultures, and had pledged $170 million to support that effort.  Canada would like to ensure aboriginal stewardship over their languages and cultures, in preserving that aspect of its national heritage. In addition, Canada was committed to the well-being of the indigenous youth population, he said.  It had established Friendship Centres on indigenous reserves, and provided funding to assist urban youth.  It had also instituted the Young Canada Works programme for urban aboriginal youth, which helped youth build on and further their culture, while accessing the Government’s summer work programme. The representative of New Zealand said that the expression of culture was at the very heart of indigenous identity and his country believed that all indigenous peoples had the right to practice and revitalize cultural traditions and practices.  Language was at the core of cultural identity, he said, and the promotion of indigenous languages was fundamental to the development of indigenous peoples.  He urged all States to consider programmes to promote the advancement of the languages and cultures of indigenous peoples.  It was also important to protect intellectual property.  Existing mechanisms were not sufficient to help indigenous peoples exploit their knowledge for commercial purposes. The New Zealand Government was trying to prevent the patenting of indigenous knowledge, he continued.  For example, laws had been passed so that people could not register trademarks based on Maori text and imagery that would be offensive to the Maori people.  He also stressed the importance of the right to repatriation of human remains.  Around 110 overseas institutions, mostly in Europe and the United States, held Maori remains in their collections.  New Zealand recognized the importance and significance of Maori remains being returned to the Maori people and would be providing funding for that purpose. The representative of the Rapa Nui Parliament said that there were many obstacles in the struggle against colonial legacies, including nuclear radiation, armed conflict, trade imbalances, greenhouse gas emissions, and the illegal abuse of indigenous peoples’ lands.  Those practices harmed the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples.  Cultural integrity was the result of history and tradition.  She encouraged States to consider the recommendations of the indigenous peoples in the Forum. A representative of the Parlamento Indígena America said colonizers had tried to make decisions for indigenous peoples in policies, religions and law.  Despite the fact that indigenous peoples had their own customs and cultures, their status as a people was denied.  They were considered as animals and people incapable of taking decisions. He stressed that indigenous peoples must participate at the political level, and guide their own lives.  Political participation was a human right that could not be denied.  The Forum should recommend that the Economic and Social Council call upon all countries to provide for the full and complete participation of indigenous peoples in political processes, and that right be embodied in their constitutions.  United Nations bodies should set up or introduce aid programmes, so that indigenous peoples could have a genuine part in decision-making processes. KATHERINE GRISBY, representative of UNESCO, said that there were about  5,000 different indigenous groups in the world. Nevertheless, millions of children continued to be taught in languages that they did not use or even understand.  Indigenous peoples lived in very different environments and had retained their particular practices and beliefs.  However, education had often destroyed such cultures and languages.  The participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making regarding the design of curricula was still limited.  Education still fell short of eliminating prejudice and discrimination targeted at indigenous peoples. The UNESCO had recognized the need to preserve cultural identity, she continued.  The concept of education as a way of integrating indigenous peoples into a dominant society had now practically disappeared.  There were a large number of instruments that recognized the rights of indigenous peoples, and in Latin America some constitutions had been amended to recognize the right of indigenous peoples to education in their own languages.  Such progress was very important as it strengthened the inter-cultural nature of the educational process. The UNESCO had established guidelines for education in the twenty-first century.  It also believed in the principle of mother tongue instruction, that multilingual education should occur at all educational levels, and that language should be an essential element in inter-cultural education.  Education should also provide training for indigenous peoples so they could compete on the national and international levels, she said.  The UNESCO was preparing a report that would cover case studies and best practices and discuss what educators around the world were doing. The UNESCO, she added, had redoubled its efforts to help indigenous peoples around the world by setting up an Action Programme for Education, which would bring about progress in tolerance and mutual respect, and promote equal educational opportunities for boys and girls. Comments from Forum Forum member WILLIE LITTLECHILD said that Treaty No. 6 between the Queen and the Plains and Wood Cree Indians had agreed to preserve educational facilities, and Treaty No. 8 between Her Majesty and the Black Feet Indians had stated that the Queen had intended to pay for those teachers.  He was raising the matter of those treaties because of the blatant and ongoing violations of those rights.  He asked that the matter of the Treaty Rights to Education be considered by the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education.  Other members of the Forum stressed that education was one of the fundamental pillars of sustainable development, but noted that indigenous people did not have ready access to education to cope with modern technology, science and research.  Other members noted that schools spent little time teaching subjects aimed at preserving the cultures of indigenous peoples, and emphasized that States should draw up curricula to respect the interests of indigenous peoples. Response from UNESCO Ms. GRISBY said UNESCO was moving ahead gradually in supporting indigenous peoples to improve their education, but that must be done in coordination with member States. She agreed that indigenous peoples should have access to higher education, but noted that children were still excluded from attending school, and that would also need to be addressed. Higher education for indigenous peoples must consider the interaction among various cultures, she said. She also pointed to the poverty of many indigenous areas, as well as the lack of attention indigenous peoples received in government policies.  The UNESCO was examining how indigenous peoples had developed their own initiatives, and determining how best to proceed in ensuring that they became more central players in developing national policies. NAVARANA BEVERIDGE, on behalf of youth representatives from indigenous organizations from more than 10 countries, said she strongly believed that education was the key to self-determination, and recommended that educational instruction take place in indigenous languages.  While it was necessary to learn the languages and ways of colonizing countries, a lack of indigenous education would continue to set indigenous youth apart from their own cultures.  Boarding schools, residential schools and missionary schools had had devastating effects on indigenous communities.  That type of education could be devastating.  Indigenous youth had suffered mental, physical and even sexual abuse within those school systems. KEONI BUNAG, speaking on behalf of the Pacific Caucus, said that indigenous peoples needed to call upon international institutions to respect and promote their educational capacities.  He recommended that indigenous languages be integrated into national curricula, and asked the United Nations agencies to design materials sensitive to the cultural and education needs of indigenous peoples.  Special attention should be given to young girls in the education sector.  He also urged the adoption of the draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. LAWRENCE MORGAN, a representative of the Navajo Nation, said his Nation had existed for centuries, with its values and culture intact.  However, contact with the United States Government had suppressed Navajo values and, in some cases, replaced them with European values.  The United States Government and private businesses had failed to recognize Navajo common law, which had been carried from generation to generation and influenced the structure of Navajo government.  In November 2002, the Navajo Council had institutionalized its people’s values and culture in governmental structures, but businesses and the United States Government had continued to undervalue the Navajo judicial system. He recommended that the United Nations support the existence and application of common laws in Indian tribes, and ask States to do the same.  It should also encourage businesses to respect traditional common laws. AVIAAJA LYNGE, of the Inuit Youth International (Greenland) and Arctic Region Youth, said economics dictated that as many indigenous people as possible must be educated.  However, with no funding to educate indigenous youth, that road would be a long one. A large number of young people were dropping out of school, giving up because of mental health problems or because the educational system was too different from their own culture.  They were losing self-esteem because they were adapting to western standards. Greater attention must be paid to youth who were dropping out of school, she said, by offering culturally specific help.  It was time to recognize the need to empower youth before they were lost.  Indigenous youth with language problems must be given special attention.  Indigenous youth, she added, needed encouragement in the fight against colonization. JIMAI MONTIEL, speaking on behalf of the former indigenous fellows of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the fellowship programme had allowed for an exchange of information and experiences, and had facilitated greater understanding of indigenous peoples.  It had also familiarized indigenous peoples with the United Nations system.  The former fellows recommended the programme and encouraged States to endorse the draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.  All regions of the world should initiate training programmes for young indigenous peoples.  The candidacies of professionals from indigenous communities should also be considered for positions in international organizations. R.D. ROY, representing the Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, said that indigenous peoples living in Bangladesh experienced a great deal of discrimination.  The indigenous peoples of Bangladesh needed education to protect their rights.  In some areas of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the teachers went without salaries, and young children walked up and down steep mountain slopes everyday to attend school.  However, most children could not study beyond primary school, as their parents could not afford to send them away.  Illiteracy in that area was well below the national average. Although those were difficult obstacles, they could be overcome, he said. Governments should be encouraged to revise their educational policies and introduce primary education in the mother tongue of indigenous peoples.  The UNESCO and UNICEF should also take integrated programmes on education to areas inhabited by indigenous peoples. JITEN YUMNAM, of the Asia-Pacific Indigenous Youth Network, stressed that the World Bank should ensure that its lending policies respected the rights of indigenous children with respect to education.  Also, the Committee on the Rights of the Child should take particular note of the fact that indigenous languages were endangered.  He also urged UNESCO to step up its activities focused on indigenous children and languages.  Children had unquestionable rights to education in their own cultures and languages. JANET BEAVER, of the Canadian Teacher’s Federation and Education International, Belgium, recommended that the Forum designate a member with full responsibility for education issues, and that disaggregated data be collected to monitor the education objectives of the Millennium Goals.  Moreover, the World Bank and other agencies should recognize the inherent right of indigenous peoples to a high standard of education.  In addition, the Forum should work with United Nations agencies and Member States to guarantee indigenous education as a fundamental right with adequate salaries, teachers and educational resources. Education was a human right, she said, as was the right to self-determination.  Indigenous peoples had the right to follow their own destiny, particularly with respect to education that was culturally appropriate for their children.  Indigenous peoples in Canada had seen nearly 10 languages become extinct, which was unacceptable. TOKUHEI AKIBE, Vice President of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, said that the Ainu children were in an extremely disadvantaged position relative to the educational attainment of others in Japanese society.  In public education, the Ainu children had a lower rate of school attendance and that disparity became even more pronounced in higher education.  That was due to the economic inequality between the Ainu and the Japanese, reflected in the fact that the proportion of Ainu families on welfare was twice that of the Japanese.  The Japanese Government claimed that a policy to address those inequalities had existed since 1974, but even after 30 years of such measures, the disparity in education had not declined to any significant degree, primarily because the land rights and economic rights of the Ainu were not respected. Even when Ainu children entered public schools, they were at a much higher risk of dropping out due to the discrimination that they experienced.  Such discrimination could be addressed by teaching Ainu culture and history in public schools, to both Japanese and Ainu children.  At present, the Ainu children were deprived of the opportunity to take pride in their indigenous background, which hindered their identification with the Ainu culture and history.  For those reasons, he urged the Japanese Government to establish an ethnic education programme.  An appropriate education system would be the first step in improving school enrolment rates, retention rates and unemployment rates of the Ainu people. JOSÉ DE LIMA KAXINAWA, representative of the Organización de los Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonia Colombiana, said that for the indigenous peoples of northern Brazil, education was not separated from culture.  When the Brazilians had arrived, his people were placed in captivity and they lost part of their culture.  In the 1970s, however, indigenous lands had been demarcated, and in 1983 bilingual teachers were introduced into indigenous communities.  His people were preparing schoolbooks in indigenous languages and researching indigenous ceremonies and music.  United Nations specialized agencies should help to preserve indigenous languages and reinforce the idea of bilingual education.  A representative of Belize , speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said CARICOM was committed to and respected the needs of indigenous children.  The population of indigenous groups in the region was small and, as a result, they were among the most vulnerable groups. He then described various efforts to assist indigenous peoples in the region.  Two years ago, Belize had signed a historic agreement recognizing the right of the Maia to resources in their area.  The Government was also implementing its national poverty reduction strategy and developing a draft regional development plan. Also, Guyana had always accorded high priority to the education of its nationals, he said.  Several initiatives had been undertaken to improve their education, especially in the country’s hinterland.  In addition, basic education training programmes had focused on improving the abilities of teachers in hinterland areas.  The Government was fully cognizant that indigenous groups were among the minority when it came to university graduation, and had awarded 10 indigenous students scholarships last year to study abroad. The representative of Bangladesh said his Government had always been sensitive to indigenous peoples.  Special opportunities were offered to ethnic minorities, including those related to education.  A separate ministry had been created with an individual from the tribal hill community in charge, and the Hill Tracts Council had been given more autonomy.  In addition, some 710 tribal people had been appointed to government service.  It was hoped that the desired sustainable development of the hill regions would soon be achieved to the benefit of all concerned. JEBRA RAM MUCHAARY, speaking on behalf of St. Johns Mission, BIJNI and Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, Northeast Zone and Bodoland Children’s Home, said that education played a vital role in empowering indigenous communities.  Unfortunately, the pace of progress was so slow that the indigenous peoples remained amongst the most illiterate and impoverished people in the world.  The Government of India did not realize how they were stripping indigenous children of their self-confidence.  They had successfully blocked the recognition of indigenous and tribal languages at the national level, and indigenous and tribal students were failing at mainstream examinations, rendering the State slogan “education for all” very hollow.  The Government needed to establish programmes in indigenous languages, and improve access to culturally appropriate education.  All major national examinations should have components in indigenous languages. STELLA TAMANG, representative of the Asia Indigenous Caucus, said that education was a fundamental human right.  It was a way to protect, preserve and develop traditional indigenous skills and cultures.  Education was a significant step towards empowering indigenous peoples to participate more fully in their communities.  It was an indispensable asset to attain freedom and social justice. Language was a key factor in education as it was linked to the cultural environment.  The use of the mother tongue as the language of instruction had distinct advantages.  However, most schools did not provide facilities for indigenous children, often believing that indigenous peoples were innately less capable. TITO LIVIO MARTINEZ, of the Consejo Internacional de Tratados Indios (CITI) and associated groups, said education was an investment in people and society.  It was a tool enabling people to fully develop their own potential as they struggled for self-determination and their lands.  He was concerned, however, about the minimal participation of indigenous peoples in drafting education laws. Indigenous people needed cultural diversity and believed in unity through diversity. EULYNDA BENALLY, of the Boarding School Caucus, said indigenous people must control education, and that adequate resources must be provided for indigenous education.  The United States had agreed to provide adequate educational facilities to indigenous people in a treaty signed 130 years ago. The indigenous knowledge system had been put on the back burner, she said, while western educational systems had been forced on the people.  Literacy among indigenous peoples was more than reading and writing; it was sung, told and embodied in rich oral history.  She requested that the Forum uphold the various rights of the child, which had been enshrined in United Nations treaties and conventions. HASSAN IDBALKASSM, representative of the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordination Committee (IPACC), said that the adoption of ILO Convention 169 on indigenous peoples was an important starting point for educational policy in all areas.  In many African countries, there was an illiteracy rate of between 50 and 70 per cent, and an educational policy that did not respect cultural diversity.  Information and information policy played an important role in that respect, and in many African countries television was completely closed to the languages of indigenous peoples.  Schooling was not widespread and there were millions of children in Africa that had no place in the schools.  He recommended that the Economic and Social Council and other related agencies revise their educational policies to show respect for cultural and linguistic identity. WILLIAM YOTIVE, Project Manager of the Global Teaching and Learning Project, United Nations Department of Public Information, said that he was in charge of a Web site called “Cyber Schoolbus” aimed at creating educational materials for schools all over the world, to promoting awareness of the United Nations and to empowering young people.  A couple of years ago, a section had been created on the site on indigenous peoples.  The Global Teaching and Learning Project would like to do more to work with the Forum to draft a set of guidelines to promote awareness of indigenous issues and to provide indigenous youth with a forum in cyberspace where they could discuss issues they considered important.  He hoped that those resources would increase the visibility of indigenous youth at the United Nations. Archbishop CELESTINO MIGLIORE, Observer for the Holy See, said the violation of the right to education was compounded by racism and xenophobia, which had continued to deny indigenous children that basic right.  The right to education concerned not only matters of access, but ensuring that content would empower indigenous children in their future.  Access to education should comprise alternative learning structures, and expanded training aimed at increasing practical and professional skills.  Indigenous people must identify and reject false values that would tarnish a truly human way of life.  In protecting the right to education, the international community should support indigenous peoples in seeking to preserve their heritage and identity, and ensure that they were not robbed of their identities and futures. NOELI POCATERRA, of the Consejo Nacional Indio de Venezuela, said her culture and language were the spirit and basis of her identity.  It was important not to destroy the creations of God and expressions of life.  Culture and language were the identity cards of indigenous peoples, giving them the opportunity to have their own life.  Their heritage and spiritual values had enabled them to resist the colonialism that still existed today.  Indigenous peoples must not give up, but defend their sacred life on earth. She recommended prolonging the Decade for indigenous people, and urged United Nations agencies, States and indigenous peoples to set up a policy affirming the value of bilingual education.  She also stressed that full value should be given to traditional knowledge, which was the key to the future. KHIN THANDAR ( Myanmar ) said that her country was one of the most ethnically diverse in the world today, and its peoples had lived together for several thousand years.  Education was the key to development and a better future for children and youth.  The national races and ethnic groups of Myanmar had their own cultures and particularities.  There had been unwarranted criticism that the largest ethnic group in Myanmar was forcing Burmese ways of life on all other ethnic groups.  That was far from true.  The Government encouraged the preservation of all languages and cultures. The representative of Brazil said that his delegation had repeatedly confirmed its dedication to protecting the rights of indigenous peoples in Brazil.  Brazil’s Constitution recognized the rights of indigenous peoples to their culture and lands and supported the appreciation and diffusion of indigenous cultures.  A number of indigenous communities in Brazil enjoyed education in their own languages.  The challenge ahead was to improve the qualifications of teachers and to increase the number of educational textbooks in indigenous languages. DANIEL DOMINGO LOPEZ, of the Proyecto de Desarrollo Santiago, Prodessa – Plataforma MAYA, said the wealth of knowledge present in indigenous communities could prolong the life of the planet.  The fundamental role of education was to safeguard that knowledge.  Education was not only a question of coverage, but content, which must include the culture of indigenous peoples.  An attempt must also be made to ensure that there was no misinterpretation of indigenous culture and way of life.  He recommended that the Economic and Social Council increase the Forum’s budget so that it could address the educational needs of indigenous people.  Also, UNESCO should organize a world forum on the education of indigenous peoples, and include indigenous experts in regional meetings. SIGRID STANBERG ( Sweden ) said that the Saami people had a common history, culture, tradition and language, yet they were spread out in four different countries -– Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia.  Saami children were allowed to complete their compulsory education in Saami schools, instead of public elementary schools, and such schools were responsible for ensuring that every Saami had a good understanding of their cultural inheritance and that he or she could speak, read and write Saamish. As well as providing Saami children with a good and sound education, more initiatives must be taken for revitalizing the Saami language, she said.  Lack of financial resources was the reason why immersion programmes were missing, especially in Sweden.  The Government was trying to find the economic resources so that every Saami child could learn the Saami culture, history and language.  The Government had also embarked on an information campaign aimed at the entire Swedish population.  The currently insufficient awareness of the situation of the Saami had led to a proliferation of myths, prejudices and stereotypes. A representative of the Regional Action Group for the Environment said indigenous peoples had the right to establish and control their educational systems in a manner appropriate to their cultural needs.  States should take effective measure to provide resources for those purposes.  He urged the Forum to adopt the United Nations draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. A representative of Nepal said his Government had taken measures to safeguard indigenous people and promote their development.  It had taken measures to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sex, caste or ethnic group.  All groups had the freedom to practise their religion, and participate in the political process.  Laws, policies and strategies had been put in place to implement those measures.  Programmes had been implemented under the Ninth Plan for the advancement of ethnic groups, and their employment had received priority in government programmes. ALBERT DE TERVILLE, the representative of the Aldet Centre, Saint Lucia, said that although the majority of Saint Lucians used Creole, there was no government policy on the use of the Creole language, and people could not participate in the Saint Lucian Parliament if they did not speak English.  The United Nations agencies should persuade the Saint Lucian Government to end that policy. The representative of Mexico said that to eliminate discrimination it was important to enhance education.  In Mexico, the Government was implementing programmes to deal with indigenous education.  Those programmes had various components, for example, establishing a database with information about the indigenous peoples of Mexico.  Moreover, the Government was considering publishing new textbooks to deal with indigenous issues.  In March of this year, an Institute for Indigenous Languages had been set up to benefit the cultural welfare of the nation. The representative of the Regional Action Group for the Environment said that Indian people of New York State were mistrusted, misunderstood and neglected, and were taught nothing about their own cultures in schools.  In her school, the only recognition of Indian peoples was an Indian mascot painted on the wall.  In her county, four Indian sacred sites had been destroyed in the name of construction and no compensation had been given. * *** *

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McGill University announces a new tuition initiative for Indigenous students

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Beginning in the Fall of 2024, McGill University will cover tuition and mandatory fees for Indigenous students who are members of local/proximate First Nation communities as well as Indigenous students learning within programs delivered through Indigenous partnership agreements within the School of Social Work, the School of Continuing Studies and the Office of First Nations and Inuit Education. The aim of the initiative is to make the University more accessible and inclusive for Indigenous students, while at the same time expressing McGill’s desire to engage in relationship-building, partnership and collaboration with Indigenous nations and communities.

The 2017 report of the McGill Provost's Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education identified 52 Calls to Action that it deemed to be essential for the University to move forward with reconciliation. Many of the Calls to Action relate to a commitment to increase the number of, and the supports for, Indigenous students at the University.

The new tuition initiative is a vital next step in McGill’s ongoing effort to redress historic harms and support the development and maintenance of respectful and meaningful relationships with Indigenous peoples, according to Celeste Pedri-Spade , Associate Provost ( Indigenous Initiatives ).

Supporting access and success for Indigenous students is a way to support the strengthening of Indigenous communities and nations, particularly those on whose land the University is situated and those closely connected to the University through established educational programming.

“It’s important to think about the students in a relational way,” said Pedri-Spade. “Though supporting individual students is a primary goal, we can’t and shouldn’t view Indigenous students disconnected from their respective communities, nations and homelands. We can’t forget that we are reconciling with the legacy of Indian education in Canada, which means we are reconciling with the forced removal of Indigenous peoples from their families and communities; therefore, it makes sense that a pathway towards reconciliation would acknowledge and honour Indigenous students’ relationships with community and place.”

Christopher Manfredi, McGill’s Provost and Executive Vice-President (Academic) said that increasing Indigenous students' access to education is a key part of reconciliation. “That’s why we are so excited to announce this new tuition initiative,” he said. “This commitment marks another milestone in our responses to our Calls to Action . McGill University will continue the essential work to ensure Indigenous voices, ideas, histories and discoveries enrich the future of our University in meaningful ways.”

Details of the Indigenous Tuition Initiative

The tuition initiative is being implemented in phases. The first eligible cohorts are:

1. Students and prospective students from local Kanien’kehaka (Mohawk) communities : Because McGill University is located on Tiohtià:ke, the initiative is available to First Nations students who are  members of Kahnawà:ke, Kanesatake, and Akwesasne (including members of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe). The Haudenosaunee community of Six Nations of the Grand in Ontario is also included in the first phase. While located in Ontario, the inclusion of Six Nations of the Grand River signals McGill’s recognition of how, in the 19 th century, the institution benefitted from a federal government loan linked to funds allocated to the Six Nations of the Grand River. In the spirit of redress and reconciliation, students from Six Nations of the Grand River will be included in the first phase of this new Indigenous Tuition Initiative.

2. Prospective and current diploma students in the School of Social Work, the School of Continuing Studies or the Office of First Nations and Indigenous Education with membership in one of the following groups :

• Cree Nation of Mistissini
• Cree Nation of Eastmain
• Cree Nation Government
• Cree Nation of Chisasibi
• Cree Eeyou Resource and Research Institute
• Ouje-Bougoumou Cree Nation
• Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services
• Kativik Ilisarniliriniq
• Cree School Board
• Naskapi Education Committee
• Listuguj Education Directorate
• Micmacs of Gesgapegiag
• Mamu Tshishkutamashutau Innu Education
• Kanehsatà:ke Mohawk Language Custodian Association*
• Kahnawake Education Center*

* We acknowledge two partnerships exist (Kahnawake Education Center and Mohawk Language Custodian Association of Kanehsatà:ke) which are listed in Category B, but by virtue of their citizenship/community affiliation, Indigenous students in these partnerships are also eligible under Category A.

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Intersecting Histories and Identities: Celebrating Pride and Indigenous History in June

Posted on Friday, June 28th, 2024

Written by Callie Gibson

Pride Month is celebrated annually in June and works to achieve equal justice and opportunity for two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, non-binary, and gender non-conforming ( 2SLGBTQIA+ ) individuals. Equally, June is Indigenous History Month, a time to recognize the history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.  

Dr. Adam Davies (they/them), assistant professor and graduate program coordinator in Genders, Sexualities, & Bodies, and Dr. Rowan Bell (they/he), assistant professor in Philosophy and Sexualities, Genders, and Social Change, discuss how both events focus on recognizing and celebrating the identities, struggles, and achievements of individuals who are 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, and as members of racialized groups and that these issues must be thought of as intertwined. Highlighting the interconnectedness of issues related to indigeneity and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, Davies explains, “if it wasn’t for colonization and the ongoing theft of land and erasure of knowledge traditions, common ideas regarding gender and sexuality would be very different,” emphasizing how colonialism, the establishment of power and control of people and of resources by a foreign group of people, has shaped Western conceptions of gender and sexuality and the importance of centralizing analytics of colonialism when discussing gender and sexual diversity.       

Traditions of various Indigenous cultures hold their own understanding of gender and sexuality, which has been forcefully replaced through colonization. According to Davies, this is exemplified through colonial acts such as determining haircuts received by children at Residential Schools based on binary perception, the classification of gender into two distinct forms of masculine and feminine. We therefore cannot expand our understanding of gender and sexualities without acknowledging the ongoing history and violence which various Indigenous cultures and racialized groups face. The way in which we approach these conversations plays a key role and can be affected by the idea of “thick concepts” developed by Dr. Rowan Bell. Thick concepts are words that carry more meaning than their basic definitions and often guide our perceptions and evaluations of the world, our actions, and interactions within it. The acknowledgement of thick concepts challenges Eurocentric labels like “cis” and “trans,” labels which are oriented through European ways of knowing. Bell points out that a focus on “gender identity,” as accepted through thick concepts, can reduce gender diversity down to an internal, individualistic understanding, which separates it from the histories and communities in which it thrives. 

By recognizing that language is not just a neutral tool for describing the world, but also carries implicit evaluations and assumptions, individuals can become more critical and aware of the power and biases inherent in their words. For example, the term “professional” is integral to the environment and perception of Higher Education. To be professional entails a multitude of evaluations filled with biases and expectations on how students, faculty, and “professionals” need to appear and act. To be professional, and to adhere to “professionalism,” is often equated to successful performance. Davies discusses the challenges faced by marginalized individuals in academic and professional environments, sharing insights from their recent book, Queering Professionalism (2024).  

The emotional labour involved in challenging traditional notions of professionalism and the need to support 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, and racialized groups must be distributed equally to all members of the Higher Education community, at all levels, to create safe spaces for students, faculty, and staff. Both Bell and Davies highlight that there is a need for students to see themselves reflected in academic and professional spheres, reinforcing the importance of visibility, representation, and acceptance. 

Understanding how we can contribute to safer spaces on campus and in the broader community starts with familiarizing ourselves with stories that explore ideas and issues surrounding sexualities and genders and 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, and racialized groups.  

Suggested readings by Bell and Davies include:  

Tanya Talaga’s Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City  (2017) 

Sarah Ahmed's Living a Feminist Life (2017) 

Leanna Simpson’s Islands of Decolonial Love: Stories & Songs (2013)  

Billy Ray Belcourt’s A History of My Brief Body (2020) 

Maracle, Aiyyana. “A Journey in Gender”. Torquere, vol. 2, Apr. 2013, doi:10.25071/1488-5182.36587. 

Artworks:  

Join us in uplifting these Guelph students, who have graciously allowed us to feature their work:  

Maja Wetzl (she/her). “Flat-stitch beaded turtle on medicine wheel.” Beads on felt with deer hide backing, 2023.    

Maja's “Flat-stitch beaded turtle on medicine wheel” is a miniature recreation of her first ever beaded piece. Wetzl explained that she chose to bead a turtle on a medicine wheel, bordered by blue beads, representing water, on its edges, as they are all integral symbols in Ojibwe culture. Maja has called Guelph home for the last 5 years and is a recent UofG graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences. Currently working as a research assistant in the Geography, Environment, and Geomatics department, she is soon continuing her studies in the fall as a Master of Science in Statistics candidate at Guelph. 

To find more of Maja’s work, check out her Instagram: @odeimin.creations  

Beck Stanbra (he/they). “Fragments of Laundry.” 4” x 5” film, 2023.  

Beck’s work explores the domestic and mundane aspects of queer everyday life, such as male menstruation and laundry. Through this process, Beck has come to love the process of physically manipulating the film, as shown in this piece. Beck is going into his fourth year of Studio Art at Guelph.  

To find more of Beck’s work, check out his Instagram at: @beck.arts 

Resources: 

Another important step towards amplifying the voices of 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, and racialized individuals on campus and in the broader community is to explore and share the resources below.   

U of G Initiatives  

Black and Indigenous Hiring Initiative   

Anti-Racism Action Plan  

Resources  

Indigenous Initiatives Sharepoint  

(Includes Governance, Indigenous Student Support, Research and Scholarship, Pedagogy and Curriculum, Campus Environment and Cultural Safety Reports developed by Working Groups of the Indigenous Initiatives Strategic Task Force .)  

Principles of Belonging: Anti-Oppression & Anti-Racism online training module   

Anti-Racism & Anti-Oppression Resources   

Building Community: Introduction to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Ebook   

Supports for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Students  

U of G Indigenous Peoples Style Guide      

Positive Space Project   

LGBTQ2IA+ student resources   

June 27, 2024

The Importance of Design Thinking in Education: Sparking Creativity in Children

The Creativity Crisis

Every generation has fond memories of how much better it was when they were kids. Just 40 short years ago, children didn’t come home from playing until the street lights came on. They drank from the water hose, and an advertisement at 10:00 pm reminded parents to make sure their children were home. Kids played make-believe with friends in the sandbox, built forts, and creatively figured out how to not be bored, all while trying not to get into too much trouble.

Today’s youth are very different. Raised in a world of on-demand video, cell phones, and non-stop digital entertainment, kids have little opportunity to be bored. Without boredom, creativity is diminished. However, in today’s rapidly evolving world, creativity is no longer just a desirable skill; it is essential. Many educators and parents are increasingly concerned that children are not developing their creative potential either in school or during play. This deficiency can be attributed to an overly structured educational system and the pervasive influence of instant gratification culture. 

Recent research indicates a worrying decline in children’s creativity. A study by Kyung Hee Kim found that while IQ scores have been rising, creativity scores have been decreasing since the 1990s. This phenomenon, known as the “creativity crisis,” can be partly attributed to the structured nature of modern education systems, which often prioritize standardized testing over creative exploration.

Children today spend less time in unstructured play, which is crucial for developing creativity. Instead, they are often engaged with digital devices that provide constant stimulation and limit opportunities for imaginative thinking. To address this issue, integrating design thinking into education can be a powerful solution.

Understanding Design Thinking

Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves empathizing with users, defining problems, ideating, prototyping, and testing. This process, originally developed for the design and business sectors, has been increasingly recognized for its potential in education. Encouraging students to think like designers fosters creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

How Design Thinking Can Help with the Creativity Crisis

• Fostering Empathy and Understanding: The first stage in design thinking is empathy. Children learn to understand the needs and perspectives of others, which enhances their emotional intelligence and creativity. By empathizing with end-users, they can develop more innovative and relative solutions to problems.
• Encouraging Problem Definition and Exploration: Design thinking teaches children to define problems clearly. This process involves exploring various aspects of a problem and asking critical questions. The define stage helps children develop a deeper understanding of issues and encourages them to think critically.
• Promoting Ideation and Brainstorming: In the ideation stage, children are encouraged to brainstorm multiple solutions without the fear of failure . This stage is vital for creativity as it allows children to explore a wide range of ideas and approaches without fear of criticism or reproach.
• Hands-On Prototyping and Experimentation: The prototyping stage involves creating tangible representations of ideas. This hands-on approach helps children learn by doing, which is essential for developing creative problem-solving skills. Experimentation and iteration are key components, teaching children that failure is part of the learning process.
• Iterative Testing and Feedback: Testing is the final stage in design thinking. This stage involves testing prototypes and gathering feedback from multiple stakeholders and potential end users. This iterative process helps children refine their ideas and learn from their mistakes, fostering resilience and adaptability.

Evidence of Effectiveness

Several studies highlight the benefits of design thinking in education. For instance, a 2010 study by Carroll et al. found that incorporating design thinking into the curriculum improved students’ engagement, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Another study, this one by Henriksen et al ., demonstrated that design thinking projects enhanced students’ creative confidence and ability to innovate.

Additionally, research by Rauth et al. showed that students who participated in design thinking workshops exhibited greater creativity and critical thinking abilities compared to those who did not participate. These findings underscore the potential of design thinking to reinvigorate creativity in children.

Practical Implementation

To effectively integrate design thinking into education, schools and educators can:

• Encourage Interdisciplinary Projects: Design thinking works best when applied to real-world problems that require knowledge from various disciplines. Interdisciplinary projects help students see the connections between different subjects and develop a more holistic understanding of issues.
• Provide Time for Unstructured Play: Allowing children time for unstructured play is crucial for fostering creativity. Schools can create maker spaces or innovation labs where students can experiment with materials and ideas without the confines of a traditional classroom setting.
• Train Teachers in Design Thinking: Educators need to be trained in design thinking principles and practices. Professional development programs can equip teachers with the skills and knowledge to effectively implement design thinking in their classrooms. Design thinking is not just for STEM or elective courses. It can be integrated into lessons in core content areas, and is a great tool for encouraging students to develop relevant and meaningful connections to content beyond test preparation.
• Incorporate Technology Mindfully: While technology can be a powerful tool for learning, it should be used with educated intentionality to enhance creativity. Educators should look for digital tools that support design thinking, such as 3D modeling software or collaborative platforms.

Creating a Culture of Creativity, Together

In a world where creative problem-solving is increasingly important, design thinking offers a valuable approach to reinvigorating children’s creative potential. By fostering empathy, critical thinking, and hands-on experimentation, design thinking can help address the creativity crisis in education. It encourages children to explore, innovate, and develop the skills needed to thrive in the 21st century. As educators and parents, it is our responsibility to provide opportunities for children to unleash their creativity and become the problem-solvers of tomorrow.

Learn more about design thinking with our training and development resources . 

Also, read our previous blog on free STEM resources , including design thinking lessons.

And if you would like to learn more about resources and programs to integrate design thinking into your school, classroom or homeschool group, please contact us at [email protected] .

Kim Reynolds

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