Competent teaching is what’s needed

Re: “Martin calls for more aboriginal school funds” (Montreal Gazette, July 10)

Former prime minister Paul Martin raises a number of salient actions that might begin to rectify the dismal state of aboriginal education in Canada. The statistics are stark, undeniable, and not improving: aboriginal youth are dropping out of school (and education as a lifelong endeavour) in high numbers and, equally important, a sense of formal education as a community goal to achieve success is lacking.

Money is not the only issue. Simply throwing public funds and other resources into isolated communities without grounding First Nations schools with competent teachers and contemporary resources will result in not much. Too often, untrained, although well-meaning, community members think that they have the skills and competencies “to teach.” Such is not the case and staffing schools with ill-trained adults will be counterproductive.

Elementary and secondary schools are anchored by competent, credentialed and responsible teachers and administrators. Without these trained people in place with the necessary instructional tools, aboriginal education will continue to wallow in the doldrums. Isolated pilot projects, no matter how locally successful, will not begin to address the catastrophe that is on-reserve First Nations education. Jon Bradley, Montreal