In the past, before the contact with Europeans, youths among the indigenous people were educated utilizing traditional means. These included demonstration, group, and socialization participation in cultural and spiritual ceremonies, skills development, and oral teachings (Battiste,1998). After the introduction of European classroom-style education through assimilation, traditional methods were disrupted, resulting in cultural trauma and dislocation.
Policymakers in the indigenous education reforms have attempted to reintegrate the traditional teachings and provide more cultural and language-based support to promote the results of Indigenous Children in the education system. Inadequate funding, cultural insensitivity, the Influence of residential schools, and the accelerating need for indigenous-led education in Canada are some of the significant challenges faced by Indigenous Schools in Canada; providing constructive solutions is essential for creating a more productive and inclusive education system for indigenous students and Schools in Canada.
Most of the Indigenous schools in Canada operate with highly scarce resources. Their second-level and third-level education services are the most affected by scarce funding. Despite taking measures to close the gap between financing the indigenous and non-indigenous schools, the indigenous schools still trail the non-indigenous schools in funding. Ordinary provincial and territorial schools enjoy multiple education services in education, administration, supervision, and research provided by both school boards and ministries or education departments (Cummins,1997). More funding in indigenous schools often leads to barriers to academic success by indigenous students compared to their counterparts in non-indigenous schools. A transformation in the learning resources and school activities may involve culture, belief and practices acquired by children.
Additionally, a lack of resources leads to the provision of low-quality education. According to research, Indigenous job seekers often need more skills and training to enter the workforce and achieve high financial security and professional capabilities. Transitioning from school to work is almost always a challenge. However, the task is even more difficult for those who left residential schools and need more knowledge of transferable skills to break into the job market. Other barriers to employment, such as hiring discrimination and bias, further aggravate the issue. The issue of inadequate financing should be addressed to enable students from less abled backgrounds who attend these indigenous schools to get the necessary skills to help them escape poverty.
Detachment of culture, traditions, and languages in pedagogical systems often punishes learners in indigenous schools. The education curriculum needs cultural inclusiveness. Most of the available learning materials must reflect indigenous perspectives, cultures, and histories, leading to a loss of relevance among students. Cultural insensitivity has led to educational systems in indigenous schools needing more inclusivity of various indigenous perspectives, histories, and languages, which often causes a loss of relevance and engagement for indigenous students.
Additionally, isolating people from their culture has not fostered a formal education process. Similarly, the imposition of one-sided educational policies in all native schools remains a significant obstacle impeding the successful education of Indigenous children
Residential schools still cause several problems for native communities after years. The policy was a plan to implement the system of so-called government and church-run institutions to force the mass of First Nations people to assimilate into a mainly Euro-Canadian way of life. The authority was expressed through violence in schools, and widespread abuse of children was a common phenomenon, manifested in the forms of sexual, physical, sadistic, and psychological abuse. This traumatic history has continued to affect most indigenous communities and students in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anger, suicidal thoughts. These issues have also impaired the trust score in the education system.
There are barriers to the increasing need for indigenous-led education in Canada. In Canada, Indigenous peoples’ ongoing challenges in self-determination of Indigenous education remain the main issues to be addressed by the government, as well as the policymakers to overcome, and the Indigenous organizations and schools. Indigenous-based learning categorizes the knowledge of the indigenous systems, languages, and culture. One of the main challenges towards indigenous-led education is generally about reconciliation. For Indigenous peoples, reconciliation can only happen once learning institutions ensure the native people have a vital role in policy formulation and decision-making to ensure the system is placed respectfully and responsibly.
Additionally, indigenous-led education recognizes the necessity of self-determination and jurisdiction in education, and its primary goal is to empower both indigenous students and communities at large. Another common challenge is about Indigenous education, which also can only occur with Indigenous people’s direct involvement in crucial decision-making approaches. Lack of direct involvement in making the policies that affect them is still a significant obstacle to enhancing quality learning in indigenous schools.
The need for Educators in indigenous schools is a considerable challenge. Qualified teachers are not easy to recruit and maintain since they are to be paid for their skills. Due to resource constraints in most indigenous schools, they will opt for the lesser-skilled trainers that they can relatively afford. Most of these indigenous schools are mainly located in remote or rural areas, limiting access to educational resources and potential professional development for teachers. Most qualified teachers will, therefore, opt for mainstream institutions instead of indigenous schools.
Furthermore, the lack of motivation for teachers in indigenous schools makes it difficult to attract and retain competent ones for a long duration. Most competent teachers always choose mainstream institutions where there is room for growth. This, in turn, leaves Indigenous students with fewer qualified teachers, and therefore, they do not get the much-needed knowledge like their counterparts in non-indigenous schools.
Additionally, the absence of Indigenous teachers in the education system leads to a cultural detachment between the indigenous students and their teachers. The need for more support of indigenous people, for example, engaging them in teacher training problems, is still a major challenge in promoting indigenous education. When non-indigenous educators teach students in indigenous schools, they need a sense of inclusion in the education system. Therefore, teacher shortages in indigenous schools should be addressed to ensure that the education system is efficient and effective.
In addition to that, Indigenous schools are faced with issues relating to poverty, poor technology, and lack of adequate infrastructure. These factors further increase the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous students. Poverty denies indigenous students opportunities to better their lives since they lack the necessary education materials to build on their skills. Inadequate infrastructure makes the learning process cumbersome and denies students with high potential to excel in academics the chance to do so. Lack of updated technology in Indigenous schools has created barriers to digital literacy. This hinders the learners from gaining skills and training opportunities.
Despite these challenges, there have been several promising efforts toward improving indigenous education in Canada. Several reforms are necessary for Indigenous students to benefit from their formal education. Incorporating indigenous opinions, histories, and cultures is being adopted in many schools. This approach has gone on to enhance the engagement of indigenous students in the education system. This inclusivity has a notable impact on indigenous students’ improved achievement and graduation rates.
Promotion and bracing of indigenous language in most of the schools. Indigenous peoples’ cultures, traditions, and perspectives (“Indigenous education: Moving toward reconciliation,” 2018). Many schools now offer classes in indigenous languages, which enhances the preservation of vital aspects of indigenous culture. The opportunity to learn this language facilitates cultural interactions among indigenous students (Moore, 2022).
Community consultation of indigenous people in decision making. Efforts to include Indigenous communities in decision-making processes and help them take control of their education are essential in promoting Indigenous education. The involvement of indigenous people in the decisions related to indigenous education and the management of indigenous schools will play a central role in enhancing a more culturally responsive and effective educational implementation.
Advancement in the mode of training and professional development. Provincial teacher training programs are starting to include cultural dynamics in Indigenous classrooms as a critical element in preparing teachers for Indigenous schools (“Education of Indigenous Peoples in Canada,” n.d). This training equips teachers with better skills to help them support indigenous students and create a more conducive environment for learning.
Providing the required finances and equipment. Funding is significant for accelerating the learning process in Native schools, thus bridging the educational gap between the Native students and their classmates from other regular schools. The increase in funding helps acquire the materials required to improve educational outcomes. These resources include technology, textbooks, infrastructure, and wages for the support staff. Call for Action #10, issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, demands Aboriginal communities be consulted in the design of remedies for those problems, improvement of education funding, and making school curriculums appropriate for Aboriginal youth.
Policies should consider the repercussions of residential schools for years to come. The remedy to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anger, anxiety, depression, and the mental condition which is caused by intergenerational trauma is to restore the indigenous people’s trust in the education system so resentment can disappear.
Another innovative and fascinating practice is the development of Indigenous empowerment educational programs and initiatives. Indigenous educators and community members specifically develop and facilitate these programs through Indigenous knowledge and learning systems. They offer culturally appropriate and empowering learning programs for the students of the indigenous community. Aiding such programs can deal with the cultural rift and help to achieve better educational results for Indigenous children.
In conclusion, Indigenous schools in Canada deal with various issues that prevent them from delivering good quality education and fulfilling various expectations of Indigenous students culturally and socially. Each of these problems originates mainly from inadequate funding, cultural insensitivity, the Influence of residential schools, and the accelerating need for indigenous-led education. Solutions to the problems take time. One has to be committed to a complete holistic reconciliation where the indigenous people’s social, cultural, and economic intricacies are in mind. It is through standing together that the tribulation of indigenous students is dealt with, hence bringing in the need to provide them with education and support to prosper.
References
Battiste, M. (1998). Enabling the autumn seed: Toward a decolonized approach to Aboriginal knowledge, language, and education. Canadian Journal of Native Education, 22(1).
Cummins, J. (1997). Minority status and schooling in Canada. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 28(3), 411–430.
4 Ways Residential Schools Continue to Impact Canada’s Indigenous People. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/4-impacts-residential-schools-indigenous-people/
Education of Indigenous Peoples in Canada | The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/aboriginal-people-education
Paquette, J., & Fallon, G. (2010). First Nations education policy in Canada: Progress or gridlock? University of Toronto Press.
Indigenous education in Canada. (n.d.). Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. https://oxfordre.com/education/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-818
write