The federal government has announced a major revamp of First Nations education.
Today on the Blood Reserve in Alberta, Prime Minister Stephen Harper pledged to reform the Kingergarten to Grade 12 system on reserves through the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act.
The big news is the government’s commitment to lift the 2% cap on annual funding increases for First Nations education in favour of a 4.5% escalator cap.
That means core funding of First Nations education will increase by $1.25 billion dollars over three years beginning in 2016 and increasing annually thereafter.
What’s more, the government is also pledging another $500 million over seven years to improve infrastructure.
Some of the other items in the bill include a requirement for First Nations schools to teach a core curriculum that meets or exceeds provincial standards.
It also calls on schools to ensure students meet minimum attendance, that teachers are properly certified and that the schools award widely-recognized diploma or certificates.
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo is calling today’s announcement a huge victory for First Nations.
His office says the act will respect and recognize First Nations rights, title, treaty rights and jurisdiction.
The Opposition NDP says today’s announcement is a step in the right direction.
Aboriginal Affairs Critic Jean Crowder says the government appears to have finally listened to the clamour of voices telling them to remove the cap on annual funding increases for reserve education.
However, she says the details of the agreement have yet to be released, and it remains to be seen how much control the government will actually give bands over the file:
“I mean, some concern has been raised about whether what they’re going to do is just put in place provincial standards and say, ‘Well, the minister’s not involved but you have to meet all the provincial standards’,” she explained.
Crowder says this scenario would, in fact, not be First Nations-controlled despite what the government says.