Editors’ Commentary: The Challenges in Improving Indigenous Educational Attainment The International Indigenous Policy Journal Volume 4 Issue 4 Educational Pathways of Indigenous Learners Article 6 October 2013 Editors’ Commentary: The Challenges in Improving Indigenous Educational Attainment Jerry P. W hite University of Western Ontario, white@uwo.ca Julie Peters Academica Group Inc., julie@academicagroup.com Recommended Citation White, J. P. , Peters, J. (2013). Editors’ Commentary: The Challenges in Improving Indigenous Educational Attainment. The International Indigenous Policy Journal, 4(4) . DOI: 10.18584/iipj.2013.4.4.6 Editors’ Commentary: The Challenges in Improving Indigenous Educational Attainment Abstract Education has been called the “new buffalo” for its potential to contribute to the economic, social, and political well-being of Indigenous peoples in Canada (Stonechild, 2006). Despite gains in education among Aboriginal peoples in Canada, there continues to be gaps in educational attainment. This editors' introduction explores some of the realities underlying educational trends among Indigenous peoples in order to set the stage for the articles in this special edition of the International Indigenous Policy Journal examining educational pathways among Indigenous learners. Keywords education, Aboriginal, post-secondary education, Indigenous, economic development Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ E d i t o r s ’ C o m m e n t a r y : T h e C h a l l e n g e s i n I m p r o v i n g I n d i g e n o u s E d u c a t i o n a l A t t a i n m e n t Education has been called the “new buffalo” for its potential to contribute to the economic, social, and political well-being of Indigenous peoples in Canada (Stonechild, 2006). To be sure, improvements in educational attainment can have important positive impacts. Increasing educational attainment in communities leads to benefits such as economic development and growth, enhanced innovation, improved social cohesion, reduced reliance on social assistance, and positive inter-generational effects (Wolfe & Haveman, 2001). There have been real strides forward since the 1990s. In Canada, for example, the absolute numbers of Indigenous peoples completing high school and going on to post- secondary training have increased. Clearly, there is a large and growing number of highly educated Aboriginal peoples.1 For example: • The 1996 to 2011 period saw a total cumulative increase of 183,170 post-secondary education graduates. • In 2011, 281,765 Aboriginal people reported post-secondary education as their highest level of educational attainment. • Post-secondary education gains were achieved for all Aboriginal groups (Status and non- Status, on reserve and off reserve, and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) (Gordon & White, 2013). Figure 1 shows these positive educational trends. That said, in order to make progress in Canada and see real, lasting positive improvements take place, there are several realities that have to be understood. The first is: H i g h s c h o o l c o m p l e t i o n . The first reality is that there are still far too many Indigenous youth who are not completing high school. If we look at the data from 1996 to the present, the numbers are staggeringly high: the number of Indigenous persons without a high school diploma increased by 80,165 between 1996 and 2011. When we project the trend out to 2016 and 2021, we see a further increase of 50,000 people. Table 1 provides details and Figure 2 illustrates the alarming trend. 1 All the data and figures relating to post-secondary education and high school attainment are from the paper by Catherine Gordon and Jerry P. White, “Supply Side of Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education in Canada,” which was delivered at the Indigenous Issues in Post-Secondary Education: Transitions to the Workplace conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in October 2013. F i g u r e 1 . P o s t - s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n t y p e f o r A b o r i g i n a l p o p u l a t i o n a g e d 2 5 - 6 4 y e a r s , 1 9 9 6 - 2 0 1 1 , i n a b s o l u t e n u m b e r s . Sources: Statistics Canada (1996, 2001, 2006, 2011). Note. University below bachelor level became a category in the 2001 Census; therefore, data are not available for 1996. T a b l e 1 . L e s s t h a n H i g h S c h o o l a n d H i g h S c h o o l a s H i g h e s t E d u c a t i o n a l A t t a i n m e n t f o r A b o r i g i n a l P o p u l a t i o n , 2 5 - 6 4 y e a r s , 1 9 9 6 - 2 0 1 1 i n a b s o l u t e n u m b e r s a n d 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 2 1 a s e s t i m a t e d n u m b e r s 1 9 9 6 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 6 2 0 1 1 I n c r e a s e 1 9 9 6 - 2 0 1 1 P r o j e c t e d 2 0 1 6 P r o j e c t e d 2 0 2 1 Less than high school 156,605 171,710 189,395 236,770 80,165 253,165 278,983 High school 91,275 101,355 118,960 152,840 61,565 166,683 186,913 Note. Sources: Gordon & White (2013); Statistics Canada (1996, 2001, 2006, 2011). F i g u r e 2 . H i g h e s t e d u c a t i o n a l a t t a i n m e n t l e s s t h a n h i g h s c h o o l a n d h i g h s c h o o l o n l y f o r A b o r i g i n a l p o p u l a t i o n , a g e d 2 5 - 6 4 y e a r s , 1 9 9 6 – 2 0 1 1 i n a b s o l u t e n u m b e r a n d 2 0 1 6 – 2 0 2 1 a s e s t i m a t e d n u m b e r s . Sources: Gordon & White (2013); Statistics Canada (1996, 2001, 2006, 2011). These findings underscore the observation by Mendelson (2006) that a key to increasing post- secondary education is to improve completion rates from junior kindergarten to Grade 12. We agree with Mendelson and would extend this further to argue that there also needs to be a focus on early learning and childcare. We also note that there are many additional considerations in terms of improving graduation rates: some are resources; some are curriculum; some are social capital and norm issues; some relate to the policies and practices bred by colonialism; and still others relate to the lack of economic opportunity seen by Indigenous youth, which dissuades them from seeking credentials (Gordon &White, 2013). The second reality is: T h e g a p . There is an unacceptable 20-percentage point gap in post-secondary educational attainment between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations (see Figure 3 below). The largest disparity is university attainment. Projections by Gordon and White (2013) for 5 and 10 years from now reveal that this alarming trend will continue. Within our current policy system, the difference between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal populations is projected to stagnate; the gap is estimated to widen for those living on reserve, all Status Aboriginals, and the Inuit population. Fundamental changes that appreciate the variation among Aboriginal populations are warranted. 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 (est) 2021 (est) Less than High School High School only F i g u r e 3 . P o s t - s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n a l a t t a i n m e n t f o r t h e A b o r i g i n a l a n d n o n - A b o r i g i n a l p o p u l a t i o n a g e d 2 5 - 6 4 y e a r s , 1 9 9 6 - 2 0 1 1 . Sources: Gordon & White (2013); Statistics Canada (1996, 2001, 2006, 2011). The third reality is the impact of colonialism: T h e h i s t o r y o f c o l o n i a l i s m . Contact with Europeans was not a positive experience and the subsequent 500 years have had disastrous impacts on Indigenous civilizations. This has led to major problems that have impacted education in many ways. As Peters (2013) noted: First Nations have long had their own modes of education. These have not been static, but evolved, shifted, and changed over time. While each nation has its own education methods, common practices across nations have included ceremonies, oral histories, teaching stories, learning games, apprenticeships, formal instruction, and tag-along teaching (Buffalohead, 1976 as cited in Hampton, 1995). Traditionally, the teachers were the community members, and each adult had a responsibility to each child to ensure they knew how to live a good life. […] Indigenous modes of education were disrupted by the arrival of Europeans […] but it is important to remember that Indigenous knowledge and methods of teaching and learning have continued and are being revitalized. (Peters, 2013, p. 6) In addition to disrupting traditional educational systems, the introduction of “European methods” and the imposition of government policies have inflicted great harm on communities and individuals. The residential school system, for example, has produced trauma that has been passed on intergenerationally. M a k i n g c h a n g e p a r t n e r b a s e d . The approaches Canada and several other countries have used in trying to make change have lacked the needed consultation. As a signatory to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Canada has a commitment to respect and support the individual and collective rights of Indigenous peoples outlined in the declaration (United Nations, 2008). As Peters pointed out (2013): 43% 54% 61% 62% 28% 38% 44% 42% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 1996 2001 2006 2011 Non-Aboriginal Aboriginal While UNDRIP is an aspirational document and does not have legal force, it is a powerful statement of the common concerns of Indigenous peoples around the world. The articles of the declaration related to education reiterate what Indigenous organizations in Canada have been saying for decades: Indigenous peoples have the right to control their own educational systems, provide education in their own languages and cultures, and to have the dignity and diversity of their cultures respected and reflected in educational institutions. (p. 204) The Federal Government of Canada recently released a draft First Nations Education Act (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, 2013b; see also Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, 2013a). This proposal has been met by real opposition by First Nations leaders. Chief Morley GooGoo, who chairs the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) educational council, has stated that the Act is unacceptable: “The proposal doesn’t acknowledge that First Nations are ready to take care of their own education systems and programs” (cited in Roman, 2013, para. 5). The AFN has pointed out that there simply was not enough consultation on the content and it was not a partnership driven process. As well, critics have pointed out that there is no commitment by the Government to resource the provisions of the new act (Richards & Mendelson, 2013). The final reality relates to: B a s i c i n e q u a l i t i e s . Education is not an end in itself. We learn from formal institutions and our family, elders, and mentors throughout our lives. However, when it comes to attending school and all that entails, we want to put that learning to good use. In a way, people are drawn to engage in educational processes because they see a value in doing so. For a young person in Piapot Saskatchewan or Nunavut to choose to stay in school, they need know there is a purpose: That is one of the elephants in the room. Poor employment opportunities, lack of economic development, and other related conditions will discourage high school completion and dissuade youth from continuing to post-secondary education. Therefore, economic inequalities are also a crucial part of the problem. We hope this edition of the International Indigenous Policy Journal makes a contribution to the discussion taking place today in Canada and other countries. R e f e r e n c e s Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. (2013a). Developing a First Nation education act. Ottawa: Author. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. (2013b). Working together for First Nation students: A proposal for a bill on First Nation education. Ottawa: Author. Gordon, C., & White, J. P. (2013, October). Supply side of Aboriginal post-secondary education in Canada. Paper presented at the conference on Indigenous Issues in Post-Secondary Education: Transitions to the Workplace, Toronto. Mendelson, M. (2006). Aboriginal peoples and post-secondary education. Ottawa: Caledon Institute of Social Policy. Peters, J. (2013). Selected cases on the continuum of First Nations learning. Doctoral dissertation in submission, Department of Sociology, Western University. Richards, J., & Mendelson, M. (2013, November 7). Time to negotiate a schools act for First Nations (Op. Ed.). The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe- debate/time-to-negotiate-a-schools-act-for-first-nations/article15308627/ Roman, K. (2013, October 24). First Nations education act gets wary reception. CBC News. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/first-nations-education-act-draft-gets-wary-reception- 1.2187858 Statistics Canada. (1996). Census of population, 1996 (Table 94F0009XDB96001). Retrieved from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/census01/info/census96.cfm Statistics Canada. (2001). 2001 Census of Canada (Catalogue Number 99-012-X2001042). Retrieved from http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/home/index.cfm Statistics Canada. (2006). 2006 Census of population (Catalogue Number 97-560-XCB2006028). Retrieved from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/index-eng.cfm Statistics Canada. (2011). 2011 National Household Survey (Catalogue no. 99-012-X2011044). Retrieved from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/index-eng.cfm Stonechild, B. (2006). The new buffalo: The struggle for Aboriginal post-secondary education in Canada. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press. United Nations. (2008). United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Retrieved from www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf Wolfe, B., & Haveman, R. (2001). Accounting for the social and non-market benefits of education. In J. F. Helliwell (Ed.), The contribution of human and social capital to sustained economic growth and well- being (pp. 221 – 250). Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/innovation/research/1825109.pdf The International Indigenous Policy Journal October 2013 Editors’ Commentary: The Challenges in Improving Indigenous Educational Attainment Jerry P. White Julie Peters Recommended Citation Editors’ Commentary: The Challenges in Improving Indigenous Educational Attainment Abstract Keywords Creative Commons License Editorsâ•Ž Commentary: The Challenges in Improving Indigenous Educational Attainment