Myths and realities around indigenous education
The ‘free ride’ First Nations students get at university, isn’t true and isn’t easy
It’s that time of the year again! Many lucky students have begun their higher education, others are hanging back a year by choice, some because they can’t afford to go yet, and they are wary of ending up with over-thetop student loans.
A local, Hamilton high school graduate I know was recently accepted to Brock University for Child and Youth Studies. As a Six Nations member, with “status Indian,” she was excited to go, and applied for funding through the Grand River Post Secondary Education Office (GRPSEO).
A status card is government ID that identifies someone as a “status Indian” as defined by the federal Indian Act. Each band gets a certain amount of money each year for post-secondary education.
Like most Canadians who are under the impression that “all Indigenous kids get free education,” there was no doubt in this youth’s mind that her application would be approved. But her dreams and aspirations were dashed to the ground with the following response: Declined.
Her older brother, who took a year off his studies at McMaster in order to earn money toward tuition cost also applied for additional support and like his sister, was turned down due to lack of funds for all qualified students.
The generic press release emailed to “student” announced that GRPSEO had reached the maximum budget allowance for the Fall 2016/Winter 2017 application intake.
An invitation to apply for the next round was indicated for Winter 2017.
Ironically, the closing quote at the bottom of the page reads, “Education … A path to tomorrow,” teasing the student who knows this is true, but feels out it is out of their reach.
Approximately, 1,000 or more applications are processed by GRPSEO and only 60 per cent of these applications are approved.
What is dangerous about a situation like this is that many a student might not consider reapplying; they might not have the necessary supports to continue higher education, they will feel discouraged about having to delay their studies and essentially, be set back in comparison to their peers. We are already dealing with a vulnerable population that must have opportunities through education to better itself, as is the treaty right of all Indigenous people. And yet, here is a case in point, where a youth is qualified, ready to study and is turned down.
Another thing; very stringent conditions apply to retaining funding, should the student obtain it. You have to be full time; you have to apply every year. You are reminded constantly that “You have to pay back funds” if you get any thing wrong. Volunteering at a First Nations organization/service provider are required for each semester a student receives assistance. Nothing about all this is free.
What’s more only “status Indians” — or people recognized by the federal government as “Indian” — are eligible to receive funding for post-secondary education through Indigenous and Northern Affairs funding. This funding does not include nonStatus, Inuit or Métis peoples.
The Federal government just announced increases to Canada Student Grants and changes to the Repayment Assistance Plan for higher education. The plan is to increase grants to low-income students by 50 per cent from $2,000 to $3,000 per year for full-time students from low-income families; from $800 to $1,200 per year for students from middle-income families; and from $1,200 to $1,800 per year for part-time students from low-income families.
The press release says, “When combined these changes with provincial student grants, the average full-time undergraduate student from a low-income family in Ontario could receive up to $6,000 in grants.”
Of course this is good news; but let’s hope the promise doesn’t go the way that supposed increased funding for First Nations students has — which is nowhere.
Back in 2015, the Trudeau government promised to immediately lift what is known as the two per cent cap on funding for First Nations’ programs. First imposed in 1996, the disastrous two per cent cap was a limit Indigenous and Northern Affairs placed on annual increases to First Nations’ budgets.
In March of this year, Ottawa announced a $2.6-billion increase in spending across five years for all First Nations education (it’s not clear how much will go to post secondary). The catch? Most of the money won’t flow until after the next election.
Canada’s fastest-growing demographic is also its poorest. Isn’t that reason enough to make higher education for aboriginal youth a top priority? What is the hold up?
In the mean time, kids like my young friend are being left behind.