Saskatchewan’s auditor says if the provincial government wants to significantly improve the Aboriginal high school graduation rate it must set deadlines and review what school divisions are doing to achieve that.
Judy Ferguson released her spring report this morning which examines a number of issues ranging from health care to water to education.
She congratulated the department of education for working closely with its First Nations and Metis partners to improve the education outcome for Aboriginal students but she says the government’s targets are optimistic and may not be attainable.
Her report indicates the Aboriginal high school graduation rate is about 40% compared to 83% for non- Aboriginal students.
Ferguson says closing that gap will not be easy.
“You know the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal attainment levels of high school graduation is a huge area of concern and that is why they are putting this plan in place with aggressive targets.”
In 2013 the province implemented a province wide strategic plan for K to 12 education.
The plan involves all school divisions working in partnership with the Aboriginal community.
Ferguson recommends a review of school division action plans to see if they are meeting their objectives.
She also is calling for a deadline for completing those action plans.
“So we have work to do in Saskatchewan, I think the key is we have a plan, which is encouraging, we just have to make sure that plan happens.”
Since 2009 the high school graduation rate has increased by about 8% for Aboriginal students, from 32% to about 40%.
During that same period, the graduation rate for non-Aboriginal students has remained steady at about 82%.
The provincial average for high school graduation is about 75% right now and the government’s goal is to increase that to 85% by 2020.
In order for that to happen the Aboriginal high school graduation rate would have to more than double over the next five years.