EDUCATION DIALOGUE SESSION

The Review Process Budget 2017 announced an additional $90 Million over two years: “The Government will also undertake a comprehensive and collaborative review with Indigenous partners of all federal programs that support Indigenous students who wish to pursue post-secondary education.”

Resolution 14/2017 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Chiefs -in -Assembly: Call on the federal government to ensure the federal post -secondary review will have a First Nations specific review, separate from the broader review, and have a separate First Nations report and/ or submission. Direct the Chiefs Committee on Education to lead the First Nations portion of the federal post –secondary review, with support from the National Indian Education Council, and to work in partnership with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada.

The Review Process In November 2017, January 2018, and March 2018, the Post-Secondary Review Group met to discuss recommendations to reform First Nations Post-Secondary Education. First Nations facilitators lead the review process and developed a report. 2 Tables: Students Group and First Nations Institutions Group. 4 regional representatives, experts, and youth were asked to attend from each region. Regions were provided the opportunity to edit and provide comment on the draft report. An additional two-day regional review took place in Whitehorse, Yukon, on April 5 and 6, 2018.

Student Group- Recommendations Strategy to Support First Nations Post-Secondary Students: Federal funding for core supports for First Nations students build upon existing programs and represent an evolution of the Post-Secondary Education Assistance Program (PSEAP) and the existing Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP). A whole-of-government approach involving coordination among federal Departments, and working with First Nations, to provide the supports necessary for student success. First Nations supports, including those supports that are delegated to other organizations, for First Nation students. Supports provided by post-secondary institutions attended by First Nations students.

Institutions Group- Recommendations Supporting First Nations Post-Secondary Institutions (SFNPSI) Federal funding will be provided for Core Support for First Nations Post-Secondary Institutions. The SFNPSI, through coordination among Federal Departments, will support building institutional capacity. The SFNPSI recognized that Regional Capacity is important to support the development of First Nations post-secondary institutions. The creation and roles of regional or aggregate authorities will be defined by First Nations. National Entities could support the recognition and development of First Nations institutions. The creation and roles of regional or aggregate authorities will be defined by First Nations.

Closing the Gap Closing the Post-Secondary Education Gap Since 1996, the number of students funded through PSSSP has been capped at approximately 25,000 students, this is despite an increase in First Nations population and increased high school graduation rates.

Closing the Gap Closing the Post-Secondary Education Gap In 2015, 112,230 First Nations people (aged 25-64) have the credentials to attend post-secondary education, but have not attained any post-secondary education. Of those 112,230 eligible learners, only 21% are funded through the PSSSP program. If First Nations high-school graduation rates were at the same rate as non-Indigenous Canadians, there would be approximately 400,000 First Nations peoples (aged 25-64) eligible to enroll in post-secondary education. If First Nations attained the same post-secondary education attainment rate as non-Indigenous Canadians (73%) then there would be approximately 292,000 First Nations people needed to close the gap in post-secondary education.

Closing the Gap Students are currently funded at an average of $13,407 for a total program budget of $244,833,114 (2014-2015 fiscal year). For First Nations students to achieve similar outcomes to non-Indigenous students, the funding rates need to provide enough resources to fund all categories of expenditures to a present day comparable rate: tuition, living allowance, books, and travel.

Resolution 2018 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Chiefs-in-Assembly: 1. Accept the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Post-Secondary Education Review 2018 Interim Report and work with respective regions to implement the recommendations as appropriate in fulfillment of AFN Resolution 14/2017, Post-Secondary Education Federal Review. 2. Call on the federal government to extend and expand funding commitments to fully support First Nations post-secondary education, including:

Resolution 2018 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Chiefs-in-Assembly: A. Providing immediate support to First Nations for students currently enrolled in post-secondary education who are not receiving funding through the Post-Secondary Student Support Program. B. Providing immediate support to First Nations to address gaps in post-secondary education, including the increased enrollment demands in post-secondary education due to higher high school completion rates. C. Funding for an honorable joint process that would seek a new policy authority for post-secondary education.

Resolution 2018 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Chiefs-in-Assembly: D. Ensuring additional annual funding continues through to 2020-2021 and/or until the joint process is complete and First Nations regions have defined the actual demand for post-secondary education. 3. Direct the AFN, Chiefs Committee on Education (CCOE), and National Indian Education Council to work in partnership with Indigenous Services Canada to develop an honourable, joint process that supports existing regional models and the development of regional processes and new models to seek a new policy authority for post-secondary education that includes:

Resolution 2018 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Chiefs-in-Assembly: A. First Nations-led, regional, and/or Treaty based processes for engagement on post-secondary education beyond elementary-secondary, as part of life-long learning. B. First Nations-led, regional development of funding models to support post-secondary education as part of First Nations lifelong learning.

Resolution 2018 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Chiefs-in-Assembly: C. Processes to work directly with First Nations and their mandated Institutes of Higher Learning on a regional basis in order to develop core Institute funding models, address the historical lack of funding, move towards accreditation, and ensure that First Nations without Institutes, have access to the resources required to bring post-secondary programming into their community.

Resolution 2018 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Chiefs-in-Assembly: D. Funding to support the regional engagement processes, including support for research and costing for each region to undertake region specific work on, but not limited to: student funding, First Nations institute funding, funding allocation methodologies, and community-based delivery funding. E. The establishment of new First Nations post-secondary education Institutions. F. A budget submission to address the historical backlog of First Nations seeking post-secondary education.

Resolution 2018 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Chiefs-in-Assembly: G. A distinct First Nations regional approach to policy development in co-operation with Indigenous Services Canada to return to Cabinet with a Memorandum to Cabinet once regional First Nation processes are complete.

For More Information Join the conversation Share your needs for post-secondary success at : www.afn.ca