EDUCATION
COVER:
Thomas
Prince
Canada's
Forgotten Aboriginal War Hero
NATIONAL ABORIGINAL
ACHIEVMENT AWARDS:
Dr. Freda Ahenakew
Mariano Aupilardjuk
Roman
Bittman
Dr Harold Cardinal
Dr. Lindsay Crowshoe
Tomson Highway
Fred House
Zacharias Kunuk
Richard Nerysoo
Lance Relland
Nicholas Sibbeston
Mary Thomas
Dolly Watts
BUSINESS:
Bankers Call Shots
A bank is calling the
financial shots on one of Manitoba's largest First Nations
CULTURE:
Debate
Rages Over Native Alcoholism
Gwishalaayt
The Spirit
Wraps Around You
EDUCATION:
Agreement Solidifies Ties Between Valley Schools and First Nations
Education Critical to Moving Forward
Education is Failing Aboriginal Students
MODERN TREATIES:
Atlantic
Chiefs Demand Action on Template Agreements
...the
Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs are demanding a meeting
with DFO minister Herb Dhaliwa...
Cash-strapped Tribal Police Winding Down Operations
First Nations communities
in Cape Breton will no longer be policed by their own...
HUMOUR:
Support Your Local Native
OBITUARY:
Chief Simon Baker
POLITICS:
One
Dead Indian
Referendum
Circus Coming Soon to Your Town
20,000 Survivors of Residential Schools to Seek Compensation
Education
is Failing Aboriginal Students
By Chuck Tobin
Yukon aboriginal leaders have called for a detailed examination of the territory's education system.
Grand Chief
Ed Schultz of the Council of Yukon First Nations said Thursday chiefs
are concerned over what they believe is an education system that's continuing
to fail aboriginal students.
``Some of the initial data that I have seen strongly indicate there is
some inequity in the distribution in the public education system for our
citizens,'' the chief said in his monthly press conference following this
week's meeting of the CYFN leadership. ``And that has to be addressed.
``We want to work within the public education system and make it work
but ... we have our officials coming to us saying it is not working properly.''
The chiefs, said Schultz, are concerned with the drop-out rates of aboriginal
students, and the low grades being registered by others. Schultz said
it's necessary to do the detailed research to identify the heart of the
problem.
"While first nation leaders prefer to remain within and fix what
they believe ails the mainstream system, what will happen in the end has
not been determined," he said.
"The examination may result in recommended changes to the Education
Act, or it might mean rerouting education dollars the Yukon government
receives from Ottawa directly to first nations, as provided for in self-government
agreements," he said.
``But that will be determined at a later date.''
The grand chief said the Yukon's education system is seen as a contributor
the number of aboriginal street people and the social conditions they
live in. The system, he said, does not affirm and uphold their identity
as a first nation member.
Schultz said the school curriculum continues to be largely based on western
European culture, which is fine for those of western European descent
who are receiving affirmation of their roots.
But if you are of aboriginal descent, there is no such affirmation nor
recognition of the significance of aboriginal society, he said.
If a student is of Northern Tutchone descent, or Kaska, or Gwich'in or
any of the Yukon first nations, he said, they're faced with going through
school learning more about foreign cultures than their own.
``You begin to subconsciously feel that you are not equal,'' he said.
Schultz said the situation is improving from the days when he was in school,
when there was nothing said about aboriginal culture.
But the Yukon chiefs are nonetheless concerned and have instructed the
central aboriginal organization to immediately begin the detailed examination
of the situation.
The grand chief said it's been suggested to the aboriginal community that
such a detailed look into the current system would cost too much, and
take too much time. ``But for every suicide I see, and for every street
kid I see who is ruining their life, I do not think it is going to cost
too much.''