Tag Archives: academic achievement

Module 2: Post 5 – Aboriginal Education Rates

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Some stats comparing aboriginal education rates compared to non-aboriginal groups according to a 2011 National Household Survey conducted by Statistics Canada. It clearly shows aboriginal Canadians continuing to lag behind non-aboriginals in educational attainment, with the largest gap still at the university level. (source:http://o.canada.com/news/nhs-aboriginal-indigenous-education/).

COMPARING EDUCATION RATES

Highest level of education, aboriginals vs. non-aboriginals:

University degree

Aboriginal: 9.8 per cent

Non-Aboriginal: 25.9 per cent

College diploma

Aboriginal: 20.6 per cent

Non-Aboriginal: 21.3 per cent

Trades certificate

Aboriginal: 14.4 per cent

Non-Aboriginal: 12.1 per cent

High school

Aboriginal: 22.8 per cent

Non-Aboriginal: 23.2 per cent

No certificate, diploma or degree

Aboriginal: 28.9 per cent

Non-aboriginal: 12.1 per cent

A segment from the The Agenda with Steve Paikin, discusses with a panel of advisors on the issue of aboriginal education based on Statistics Canada, 2006 census. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DZC5Cezs1o. What caught my attention the most was aboriginals who attained university degree’s showed employment rates virtually at parity compared to their non-aboriginal counterparts.

Module 2: Post 4 – Meeting the Needs of Aboriginal Youth Academically

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In searching for information on what academic achievement means to Indigenous people, I found the following highlighted themes based on research conducted on this topic. A review (http://aerc.usask.ca or fnahec@fnahec.org) identified the following:
  • Integrating Indigenous knowledge into classrooms and schools.
  • Providing support to students through mentorship programs.
  • Learning about the ongoing effects of colonization and racism.
  • Building relationships with students, communities, and parents.

In contrast, government initiatives by the Ontario Ministry of Education (2007) identified the following strategies in effort to promote and foster cultural identity and pride among Aboriginal students:

  • Increase the capacity of the education system to respond to the learning and cultural needs of First nations, Metis and Inuit students;
  • Provide quality programs, services and resources to help create learning opportunities for First Nations, Metis and Inuit students that support improved academic achievement and identity building;
  • Provide a curriculum that facilitates learning about contemporary and traditional First nation, Metis and Inuit cultures, histories and perspectives among all students, and that also contributes to the education of school board staff, teachers and elected trustees; and
  • Develop and implement strategies that facilitate increased participation by First Nation, Metis and Inuit parents, students, communities and organizations in working to support academic success.”

With the above themes and strategies in mind, I hope to find resources that examine the effect or outcomes such programs or initatives have on indigenous academic achievement in K-12 education.

Sources:

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2007). Ontario First Nation, Metis and Inuit Education
Policy Framework. Toronto, Ontario: Ministry of Education.

Document Author (2008). Title of Document. (ISBN assigned ). University of Saskatchewan, Aboriginal Education Research Centre, Saskatoon, SK & First Nations and Adult Higher Education Consortium, Calgary, AB. Retrieved day/month/year from (give website address of http://aerc.usask.ca or fnahec@fnahec.org)