Canadian Educational System: Social Inequalities for Aboriginal Students

Aboriginal Students in Canada

People have long been aware that education is one of the pathways to future success in life, particularly at a time when skills and knowledge acquired from studies can help individuals become more competitive in the labour force. In developed nations in particular, the aim of the governments is to provide not only basic education but also the kind where students are equipped with skills they can use as productive members of society. Considering that most societies are multicultural in nature due to the movement of people from one region to another, it is expected that the education system of a nation should also be created in such a way that all cultures are taken into account when making the school curriculum. Canada has a highly-diverse society comprised of people from various cultures that came to the country as immigrants. While the educational system has made provisions for the integration of these new students, there seems to be a sector of society that has not been give enough attention - that of the native communities. To note, the aboriginal groups in Canada are comprised of the First Nations, the Inuit, and the Metis. It was probably assumed in educational curriculum that these groups can easily fit into the system considering that they are natives of the country; or, like many other things, the welfare of the aborigines are not again considered because they mean little to those who are in position. It is not accurate to assume that the aborigines would fit in since these groups have their own ways of educating their children. As such, their education can differ from what is being taught in the mainstream educational system. It is not a secret that aboriginal groups are marginalized in many respects and their education is one of these aspects where they are not receiving what is rightly their due as citizens of the country.

The question arises of what will happen to these marginalized members of society who have limited access to education? What if they do have access to education, but this education is not sensitive to the differences arising from the fact that they come from another culture? Just as importantly, what if the curriculum of their education is not inclusive? These questions highly apply to the experience of Canadian aborigines who are besieged not only with problems about their lands but also about how their youths could survive in the future when they are not properly equipped with the right education. In spite of avowals from different government officials regarding the diversity of education in Canada, a number of studies have evidenced that historically, aboriginal students have not had access to education that is inclusive, culturally sensitive, equipped with adequate and relevant resources, supportive of their unique indigenous knowledge, as well as other indications of social inequality in education (Toulouse; University of Alberta; Battiste). Hence, it may be said that the major problem of education among Aboriginal communities in Canada is that pedagogy is meant to reflect the social, political, cultural, and economic characteristics of Eurocentric societies (Agbo). This discriminative reality leads to several problems that have implications not only for the future of Aboriginal people but also their self-esteem, worldview as well as their identity. Indeed, poor educational outcomes for the Aborigines in Canada also threaten the prosperity of the nation as a whole (Mendelson). This paper critically analyzes the social inequalities generated by the Canadian educational system as experienced by the First Nations students.

The Aborigines: Education-Related Problems

The First Nations Aborigines in Canada are increasing in number, and are younger than the average Canadian. Moreover, the First Nations population residing in reserves has been increasing (Mendelson). The implication of these facts is that the younger generations need to receive education that will allow them to thrive as individuals albeit their own unique backgrounds. They can only do this if the kind of education available for them is one that is culturally-sensitive.

The importance of culture in education is not something that can be shelved since people need to understand their own identities and be confident about them in order for them to fully realize their potentials. If they are not secure in who they are and their parts in society, they would not feel that it is necessary for them to stay and finish getting educated in schools that do not remotely have any similarity with their own. In relation to this, it is notable that 60% of students living in reserves have not been graduating from high school, which shows that educational attainment of First Nationals lag in comparison with national averages. In short, these individuals do not see the importance of a high school diploma, or they do not feel comfortable in the educational set-up available to them. Also, their high schools may not be the type to make young people like going back since they feel excluded and even non-existent in an environment that emphasize the welfare of the white majority. Others may even feel that immigrant get better consideration in the educational system as compared t hem. Most would also look at the experiences of other members of their group who have failed to make a career in mainstream society or at least get a college degree. These negative examples are not encouraging for the younger generations.

Another reality facing the aborigines in terms of education relates to funding. Studies evidence that funding for education for the First Nations is significantly lower than the regular school system (Mendelson). There are currently 518 schools on reserves, all of which are the responsibility of the federal government - from funding to curriculum handling. However, funding for these schools are about fifty percent less as compared to other regular schools. The discrepancy in funding could result to many things, such as the inability of these schools to attract high-calibre teachers because they cannot pay high salaries. This can also mean that students will lack school resources that others have, like books and computers, and this can even affect the food they have in the school cafeteria. Without enough funding, some services may not be provided while school administration tries to make do with what is available.

Aside from these, First Nations educational system is not guided by any policy or legislative framework (Ontario Government; Mendelson). As a result, majority of schools on reserves are based on a village school model that has not only become dated but also isolated in terms of professional support (Mendelson). As already mentioned, schools on reserves are supposedly the responsibility of the federal government; yet, there is little effort in terms of improving the educational curriculum of these schools. This means that during achievement exams, these schools and their students will not likely reach the national average. It cannot be denied that various problems relating to pedagogy and multiculturalism in education is rooted in the lack of governmental support and initiative. The government seems to be indifferent to the plight of the aboriginal children.

It is apparent that there is an issue of social inequality here. And, when social inequality is present, it is not unreasonable to assume that associated problems are not far behind. For example, the lack of opportunity for quality education among Aborigines has been associated with escalating crime rates attributed to this population (Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission). Poor education, or the lack of formal education, and alleged criminality of the First Nations are both attributed to "the poverty and marginalization of Aboriginal people" (Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission). It has been proven in many studies that poverty and lack of education can be determinants of criminality. Since many young aborigines are suffering from poverty and lack of education, doing deviant actions can be their means of earning income or expressing their frustrations over a system that puts very little regard for their future.

It is important to note that currently, First Nations people have had a long history wherein their education has been a tool of cultural assimilation. This means to say that First Nations students are expected to adapt to the prevailing culture in Canada. They are taught in a second language, pedagogy is culturally biased as most materials and subjects used for teaching are mainly designed for and by non-Aboriginal people such that there is little regard for the "cultures, histories and realities of Aboriginal life" (Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission). As a result, the current education of young First Nations people, because of its shortcomings, has resulted in poor self-esteem and sense of identity that a culturally-sensitive pedagogy could have achieved (Toulouse). While it is understandable for the federal government to want to assimilate every culture into mainstream society, it should not attempt to obliterate the rich histories of the minorities. Without a culturally-sensitive curricula, the young First Nations children may begin to consider their heritage with disrespect and even grow ashamed of their own identity.

Traditional Aboriginal Education

Aborigines have historically had a different pedagogy than is currently practiced now. Among First Nations people, their traditional manner of imparting lessons to students is story-based, as is evident in their rich oral culture, tradition and literacy (Yunkaporta; University of Alberta). Other characteristics of First Nations pedagogy that make it different from mainstream education are values-based; centred on the role of nature; it is communal, emotional and responsive; holistic, based on landscapes; ritualistic; spontaneous, inquisitive; experiential; and, nonverbal, among other things (Yunkaporta; Battiste). These pedagogical characteristics are inextricably entwined with First Nations culture and indigenous traditions, values and belief systems. If one look closely at these characteristics, there are many of them that can positively affect the present curricula. For instance, the holistic approach that includes the environment is one of the things that young people should learn so that they become more sensitive to nature and other creatures in the environment. Some of these characteristics will have to be modified, particularly the rituals, if they do not contribute to the development of the growth of the individual not only as a member of the First Nations but also as a Canadian citizen. In essence, the education system of the First Nations is rich in terms of how it can mould individuals into responsible adults; what needs to be integrated here are the contents from the regular school system so that the children know and get the best of both worlds. It can never be just one for these children because they have a unique background.

One important thing to note that the First Nations place high importance on stories of Creation and this is where their educational pedagogy is rooted. Their stories of Creation as well as their "psychological connectedness to their cosmology" determine the direction of instruction of students (Battiste 14). Hence, for the First Nations people, knowledge has never been secular. Pedagogy is derived from the story of Creation and thus, has a sacred purpose. Learning is connected to all of nature, its creatures and to human existence. Taking away one's relationship to nature and its creatures will essentially change the young generations as these are the important elements of who they would become as adults. Learning is also perceived as a life-long responsibility so that they understand the world around them and to animate their personal abilities. Obviously, this kind of teaching is not exactly emphasize in regular schools as the focus is on learning theories, concepts, and skills that allow the individual to understand society better. This difference in perspective can be bridged to create a more meaningful curricula for young children belonging to the First Nations.

For First Nations people, education helps them take responsibility for their own lives, develop their sense of relationship to others so that they can model competent and respectful behaviour (Toulouse). This is not different from what the regular school system wants to impart to its learners. However, traditions, rituals and daily observation are all fundamental aspects of the learning process among the First Nations. Moreover, learning is a process that is deeply connected with the spirit that empowers the person with gifts, visions and spirituality. To note, these are the ones missing from the regular educational system. Rituals and visions will probably not find any place in the regular school curricula but these can be replaced with other meaningful activities that will still make the young people understand their importance to their culture.

Contemporary Aboriginal Education

The education of Aboriginal youth has been one of the responsibilities of the Canadian government, inherited from the Crown as part of the terms of Confederation. The Department of Indian Affairs established residential schools to assimilate Aborigines into the mainstream Canadian society, culminating with the Indian Residential School system. Although this system closed in 1980, education that is available to First Nations people isolates them from their Aboriginal language, culture, beliefs, and attitudes (Centre for Social Justice; Agbo; Mendelson; University of Alberta). Therefore, the major problem of education among the First Nations people is that prescriptive statements as well as ideological references "assume discussions about the purposes of schooling in these communities" (Agbo 333). This purpose is not necessarily favourable to the First Nations' culture.

In current educational systems to which First Nations students have access, course contents more often than not suggest implicitly and explicitly that the ideal condition for effective education must reflect the social, political, cultural and economic characteristics of Eurocentric societies, which means that aboriginal students are expected to adapt this trend even if it means setting aside their own heritage. This has been the dilemma in Aboriginal education for almost two decades now, and Aboriginal students are measured through a Eurocentric gauge and are expected to successfully attain Eurocentric standards. It is not unusual and unsurprising for the government to expect the aboriginal students to assimilate to the Eurocentric society because they are, in fact, in a society whose majority of the population belongs to a different culture. One thing that educators forget, however, is the importance of building children's self-esteem in order for them to actually maximize their potentials and to fully develop their talents. These children learn different things while at home and it would be ideal for them to actually see some of their values and traditions being translated into educational content. However, what they experience in schools is different. It is even possible that there are course contents that disparage their cultures or provide inaccurate and inappropriate reference to their history. The dropout rate is not unusual then if these students believe that they are facing mockery for who they are as a group. Being young and impressionable, they may not fully understand the reasons behind the currently implemented curricula. Being marginalized, their self-esteems are not as well-established as their peers from other cultures because up until the present, there are many stigmatizing labels placed on aboriginal members of society.

Although there have been significant discussions as to how Aboriginal education must be carried out effectively, these discussions are virtually useless as the voice of the Aborigines are not heard at all during these meetings. People from other cultures can sympathise with them but it is different when someone from the concerned group will actually be heard and make proposals as these are going to be insightful and appropriate for their own youths. Therefore, whatever concepts or theories regarding Aboriginal education during these discussions - usually within the government - cannot be effective for First Nations students because they deviate from traditional learning that provides meaning to indigenous existence and way of life. By implementing educational models and pedagogies based on these discussions, the cultural, social, economic, political and traditional values of the First Nations students are cast aside.

Recommended Pedagogy

It is imperative that pedagogy applied to First Nations students be modified in order to be more culturally sensitive. The delivery of education to First Nations people must be guided by two principles. First, it must be recognized that education and learning must serve to increase awareness and appreciation of Aboriginal peoples' cultures within the non-Aboriginal setting (University of Alberta). In other words, these young people should be given back their pride in their own heritage and this can happen when the educational system integrates their own practices and teachings in the curricula. If these are continually ignored, many of the younger generation will continue to have low self-esteem because they would think that there is nothing to be proud of in who they are as a group. They would continue to feel different from the rest of society. Second, education curriculum reviews need to "make space for Aboriginal culture within the traditional institution" (University of Alberta 2). Therefore, Aboriginal people have to take part in course content design and delivery. However, there are no aboriginal inputs during course content design as the trend is to implement a uniform content across all cultures. What the federal government believes to be best for them turns out differently. Making the younger generations overlook their history is not the way to properly assimilate them into the larger Canadian social context. They cannot be separated from who they are; hence, the need to mesh the two cultures into one. Moreover, Aboriginal language and literacy must be integral components of these course contents and the evaluation of students' performances must be from the Aboriginal perspective along with that of the regular standards established by mainstream society (Agbo; Chartrand; First Nations Pedagogy).

It cannot be denied that aboriginal students are disadvantaged in accessing educational programs (Mendelson). Another reality is that educational programs that incorporate Aboriginal values and traditional knowledge have always been successful for First Nations people. The problem here is that this type of education is currently available only from Aboriginal elders (University of Alberta). The challenge here is for the national educational system to be able to create a model of such education so that curricula - particularly at higher learning institutions - would be inclusive for First Nations people. It must be noted that to be able to integrated authentic forms of Aboriginal knowledge, teaching and learning practices, teachers have to understand that this represents a different way of knowing, teaching and learning. Therefore, if educational institutions are really serious about creating inclusive curricula for Aborigines, then the training of such teachers must be part of that curricula. Training has to cover Aboriginal knowledge, languages, traditions, cross-cultural and anti-discrimination education (Chartrand; University of Alberta).

Hearing from Aboriginal students, it is very sad that they seek and value formal education that teaches them about mainstream economic activities and entrepreneurial lessons so that they will be equipped as they strive to compete in the real world. It is just as sad that these students have difficulties in such learning contents and barely pass, simply because these course contents are dramatically different from their traditional way of learning. Hence, for the benefit of Aboriginal people and Canada in general, it is of utmost importance that education in Canada be culturally sensitive to Aborigines. After all, who knows if the next talent from such an educational system would be the next successful national leader or entrepreneur coming from the First Nations.

Conclusion

The Canadian educational system is not unique in its inability to accommodate the needs of those young people who belong to the aboriginal groups. The educators have to think about how to create a system wherein it provides an inclusive environment for all minorities in the country. This is commendable except for the part where the unique culture and background of the native people are shelved and not even considered in course contents. Even in schools in reservations, the course content is predominantly Eurocentric in the desire of the federal government to turn the young learners into individuals who would totally embrace a culture that is not their own. There is nothing wrong with wanting to assimilate the young aborigines into mainstream society but this can only be successfully implemented if they are secured and assured of their places in society. Ignoring their traditions in the course content is counterproductive as this leads to individuals who lack self-esteem and pride on who they are. The solution for this problem is not exactly complex because the aboriginal leaders know what should be included in the curricula of these students. Aside from the usual contents that are centred on Eurocentric values and perspectives, the students should also learn in school about their own culture, their language, and their own heritage so that they become proud of their history. Having a healthy self-esteem will lead to individuals who are not afraid or embarrassed to be among other groups. They can be empowered by making them understand who they are and where they are in the great scheme of things. Making this change will require time and effort. More significantly, this will require legislators, educators, and the federal government in general to allow the aboriginal leaders to actively take part in designing an educational system that is inclusive and culturally-sensitive.

Works Cited

Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission. "The Justice System and Aboriginal People."

Agbo, Seth A. "Conformity and Rationality in Indigenous Schooling: The Education Situation on First Nations Reserves." Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education.

Battiste, Marie. "Indigenous Knowledge and Pedagogy in First Nations Education: A Literature Review with Recommendations."

Centre for Social Justice. "Overview: Struggling to Escape a Legacy of Oppression."

Chartrand, Rebecca. "Anishinaabe Pedagogy: Deconstructing the Notion of Aboriginal Education by Illuminating Local Anishinaabe Pedagogy."

First Nations Pedagogy. "Best Practices."

Mendelson, Michael. "Poor Educational Outcomes for Aboriginal Students Threaten Canada's Prosperity."

Ontario Government. "Ontario's Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy."

Toulouse, Pamela Rose. "Integrating Aboriginal Teaching and Values into the Classroom."

University of Alberta Aboriginal Services. "Aboriginal Education: A Research Brief for Practitioners."

Yunkaporta, Tyson. "Aboriginal Pedagogies at the Cultural Interface."