Op-ed: Government invests in First Nations, Métis education
- Kevin Doherty, Saskatchewan Minister of Advanced Education | April 14, 2015
Ensuring First Nations and Métis people are fully engaged and benefiting from Saskatchewan’s strong economy is one of the priorities for our government.
We continue to make critical investments in First Nations and Métis post-secondary education and work in partnership with our post-secondary institutions to ensure more First Nations and Métis students succeed.
This year’s budget provides $51 million in direct support for training, institutions and programs for First Nations and Métis students.
Today, nearly 16,000 Aboriginal students are taking post-secondary classes across Saskatchewan, a 29 per cent increase in enrolment since 2007. EnroIment continues to grow at several post-secondary institutions including a record registration at the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT).
Our government recognizes the challenges of the strong growth in enrolment for Aboriginal students and is supporting our post-secondary institutions accordingly.
In this budget year, we are providing an additional $428,000 in operating funding to SIIT, a 24 per cent increase over last year and a 121 per cent increase since 2007.
In 2014-15, SIIT received $375,000 in continued funding to support the enhanced Student Support Services initiative. This support will continue in 2015-16 and will help SIIT create an individual plan for each student that supports their specific needs, in order to increase student engagement, retention and achievement.
Since 2007, our Government has increased funding to First Nations University of Canada by 60 per cent; to Gabriel Dumont Institute by 44 per cent and to Dumont Technical Institute by 169 per cent.
Building new employment opportunities for Aboriginal people also requires increased attention to literacy, training and life skills development through programs such as Adult Basic Education.
This year’s budget will add 200 Adult Basic Education seats for an estimated total program capacity of over 8,700 seats – up 2,900 seats from 2007-08, an increase of 49 per cent.
New training opportunities are also being created through a $1.0 million budget increase for 300 additional apprenticeship training seats. This brings the total number of seats to 7,000, an 84 per cent increase since 2007. This key investment is helping to address the province’s labour force needs.
Overall, our Government has invested $6.5 billion in post-secondary institutions, programs and student supports over the past eight years, an increase of 64 per cent since 2007-08.
Among the supports for students this year is $14.5 million in scholarships including the Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship. All Grade 12 graduates in Saskatchewan, including Adult Basic Education and General Educational Development graduates, receive up to a maximum of $2,000 which can be applied to their tuition costs at a post-secondary institution in the province.
In addition, the Randell Morris Legacy Scholarship provides 15 scholarships, valued at $2,000 each, annually to students attending SIIT.
Our post-secondary institutions supporting First Nations and Métis students through peer support groups, advisors, special student facilities, cultural activities, curriculum offerings and mentoring programs.
For example, the University of Saskatchewan is constructing the Gordon Oakes – Red Bear Student Centre, an inclusive gathering place for students and faculty.
The University of Regina and Cumberland College have initiated indigenization efforts on their campuses to ensure First Nations and Métis knowledge and practice is reflected in all aspects of campus life.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic has implemented an institution-wide Aboriginal Student Achievement Plan to help address barriers to student completion.
I am encouraged by the results from our investments in post-secondary education. Since 2008, increasing numbers of First Nations and Métis students are succeeding. There are 3,500 more First Nations and Métis graduates with a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree in the labour force.
Our Government recognizes there is more work to do but our current efforts are proving successful - so that all Saskatchewan students can enjoy the best place in Canada to live, to work, to start a business, to get an education, to raise a family and to build a life.
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