Aboriginal education
Education may well be the most significant
determinant of future employability.15 Higher
educational attainment is increasingly in
demand, and it is estimated that some form
of post-secondary training (university,
college diploma, or trade certificate) will be
required for over three-quarters of the jobs
described in the previous section.16
The past five years have seen an improvement in overall secondary school graduation
statistics among BC’s Aboriginal students,
with completion rates increasing for those
living on and off reserves.17 The non-completion rate for First Nations adults between
20 and 24 years of age living on reserves in BC
declined from 46% to 40.7% between 2006
and 2011.18 In 2011, the non-completion rate
for First Nations adults living off reserves
was 25.4%,19 compared to 36.2% in 2006.20
With a high school education now considered mandatory for most jobs, it is essential
that Aboriginal students have an equal opportunity to graduate and pursue post-secondary education.
Efforts have been made to improve access
to high school education. In BC, the Ministry
of Education provides additional funding to
K-12 Aboriginal students off reserves
through targeted Aboriginal education
funding to specific school boards that have
partnered with local Aboriginal communities
to develop and deliver Aboriginal education
programs and services.21 On reserves, First
Nations and their regional organizations
have the responsibility for managing and delivering their own education programs and
services.22 Both strategies have proven effective—compared to other provinces, BC’s education system has had the most success in
reducing drop-out rates among First Nations
high school students, and has achieved the
lowest non-completion rates among young
adults both on and off reserves.23
Still, the percentage of Aboriginal students
who transition into post-secondary school lags
well behind that of non-Aboriginal students.
Data from the BC Ministry of Advanced
Education shows that only 33% of Aboriginal
students who graduated from high school in
2007-2008 entered post-secondary education
within five years, compared to 73% of nonAboriginal students.24
Aboriginal students face a number of
obstacles when it comes to pursuing postsecondary education, including financial
and geographic barriers. The system for
financing Aboriginal post-secondary education can also work against students. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Canada distributes funds for postsecondary education through the bands, but
only for Status Indians.25 Funds are limited,
and it is up to the bands to decide how the
funds are allocated among applicants.
Accounting
Mentorship Program
In 2008, the Chartered
Professional Accountants of
Canada—then the
Chartered Accountants of
Canada—and the Martin
Aboriginal Education Initiative
founded the Accounting
Mentorship Program, an
initiative where accounting
professionals across the
country act as mentors to
Aboriginal youth and
encourage academic success.
The program currently
provides mentorship to more
than 80 students at 21 high
schools in 13 cities and five
provinces.
For more information,
including how to become
involved as a mentor, visit
maei-ieam.ca/Accounting_
Mentorship_Program.html.
Research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development consistently indicates that higher levels of education are
15
associated with higher employment rates. See OECD Skills Outlook 2015 – Youth, Skills and Employability (oecd.org/edu), for example.
Ibid.
16
John Richards, “Are We Making Progress? New Evidence on Aboriginal Education Outcomes in Provincial and Reserve Schools,” Commentary
17
No. 408, April 2014. (cdhowe.org/pdf/Commentary_408.pdf).
Ibid.
18
Ibid.
19
John Richards, “Why is BC Best? The Role of Provincial and Reserve School Systems in Explaining Aboriginal Student Performance,”
20
Commentary No. 390, October 2013. (cdhowe.org/pdf/Commentary_390.pdf).
Ministry of Education, K-12 Funding – Aboriginal Education, www2.gov.bc.ca, accessed October 6, 2015.
21
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Education, aadnc-aandc.gc.ca, accessed October 6, 2015.
22
Richards, “Are We Making Progress?”
23
24
25
Ministry of Advanced Education, Students Transitions Project Fast Facts, April 2014. Accessed February 26, 2015.
The term “Status Indians” refers to individuals who are registered under Canada's federal Indian Act. These individuals are entitled to a range
of programs and services offered by federal agencies and provincial governments—some of which are not available to non-Status Indians.
According to Canada’s 2011 National Household Survey, Status Indians accounted for 48% of the 671,380 Aboriginals between ages 25 and 64 in
Canada. The circumstances for non-Status Indians were not reviewed as part of the 2015 BC Check-Up and are beyond the scope of this article.
CPABC in Focus • Nov/Dec 2015 21