MEDIA RELEASE
London, Ontario August 16th, 2017 – With more details to soon be released by the Carolyn Bennett, the Minister of Indigenous Affairs, members of the Anishinabek Nation have signed on for big change. Under the newly signed agreement 23 communities, as many as 25,000 people, will now exercise their jurisdiction to govern their education system on their respective communities. This will serve as a great example to the rest of Canada and gives the opportunity that the Indigenous peoples are capable of looking after their educational needs.
From Kindergarten to grade 12 the education system will be used to help incorporate language instruction and culture. This will ensure the preservation of a nations language and eliminate any chance of it going extinct. Culture will also be a vital part of keeping an indigenous heritage and way of life close to heart. Other communities will be welcomed to join into the new system should they feel inclined to at a later time.
A.I.A.I. Grand Chief Joel Abrams says “Congratulations to the members of Anishinabek Nation who have chosen to chart their own path in Education. All of us at AIAI wish them the best of luck in creating their own curriculum, educational framework, and not least of all moving forward on self-governance.“
Currently only 8 per cent of the students from their respective Anishinabek communities attend on-reserve schools. Others must leave familiar surroundings, family and friends to attend provincial schools off-reserve as many of their communities do not have the facilities for them. This will help bring change and create a brighter future.
