Assumption Band developing new policy on education

Page 29

ASSUMPTION - To help develop a new education progrtam, theDene Tha Band hired Gerry Mulligan as the education co-ordintor in Novembe.r The new education program will not only be designed to meet the needs of the students but to have more community involvedment fromt he residents.

The reserves of Assumption, Meander River and Bush River, all part of the Dene Tha Band, will be taking over the education system on July 1, 1987.

"We want to transition togo as smoothly as possible," Mulligan said.

Part of his job is to develop a policy manual, which is almost completed, Mulligan reprots. The policy manual is divided into two sections, with one section to govern the education committee, school board trusteeds and school administraiton and the other section to dfeal with the cultural aspects, taking into consideration that differnet cultural groups need different policies.

The second section of the policy m,anual will deal with situations such as a truseed on his way to a meeting who stps to shoot a moose and misses a meeting. This being an imoolrtant event in the commun ity, meaning meat for hte family a dn extra income from the hide, will be considered justified by the policy manuial.

Interpretation of legislation from teh Alberta, Saskatchewan, Mantioba and Ontario governm,ents, was used by Mulligan to put the first part of the manual together.

None of the policies will be decided arbitrarily, as the band has allowed for a system of community communicaton involving the two Dene communities (Assumption and Meander River) that have schools. Contact people within the school board and communities will relate any pending policies to the community.

A special prolgram is being developed to study the Dene culture, religion and language, with the help of the Elders, Mulligan said. The Elders will also help as instructors once the program is implemented.

The basic philosophy behind the programming is to help the students and the community learn to keep their own cultures, yet be able to deal with tyhe outside world," Mulligan says.

The Band will continue the Albverta curriculum, but will implement special progarms, although such progarms will not all be implemented aty once, but are on a long range planning process.

A four-year progarm covering welding, drafting, auto mechanics and electricity is being investigated. If the program is incorporated it would take a couple of years to get in place due to the cost, and it will depend on the funding for such a program.

According to Mulligan many of the people on the reservews are not academically oriented, but rather are technically oriented, and because of this the costs will be justified.

To fit the needs of the community a trapping and forestry program designed for students will include marketing and business skills in addition to trapping.

Upgrading and life skills programs and English as a second language are also being developed, along with upgrading of the science program for juinior high and athletic programs.

The Band hopes these programs will encourage the students to remain in school and finish their education, says Mulligan.