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Funding equity negotiated for BC on-reserve schools

Author

By Shari Narine Windspeaker Contributor VANCOUVER

Volume

29

Issue

11

Year

2012

A new tripartite agreement will provide First Nations students learning on reserve in British Columbia a more level playing field with their public school counterparts.
“It provides us with comparable funding that we didn’t have before …and now we have the opportunity to be funded more appropriately and deliver quality programs,” said Debbie Jeffrey, executive director of the BC First Nations Education Steering Committee.

FNESC is one of the signatories of the agreement that was signed on Jan. 27 with the federal and provincial governments.

Through the Tripartite Education Framework Agreement, the federal government will provide an additional $15 million annually to First Nations schools and students.
“The agreement is tied to the provincial government model based on the operating grants manual which generates all of the funds,” said Jeffrey.

Studies undertaken by FNESC indicate that First Nations students learning on reserve are funded at 40 per cent less than their provincial public school counterparts.
An interim band operating funding formula struck with the BC regional office of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Canada in 2005 dropped that discrepancy to 20 per cent for First Nations students in BC.

However, that funding was unsustainable regionally, said Kristen Harvey, communications director with FNESC. With the new agreement, funding will be fully covered by Ottawa.

Discussions for the Tripartite Education Framework Agreement began last summer, six months after the federal government announced the optional new approach to education funding for First Nations in BC.

In a news release issued by the federal government, ANAC Minister John Duncan stated that the new investment of funding for K-12 education, which was included in the 2010 budget would be “targeted to First Nations in British Columbia based on the advanced state of the education partnership in the province.”

“We’ve had our organizations for over two decades now, getting organized and supporting our communities and with that length of time we’ve built solid partnerships, established (memorandums of understanding) not only with Canada and the province, but with other educational partners,” said Jeffrey.

That relationship continues, said an Education Ministry spokesperson. Through the framework, the province has agreed to consult with FNESC regarding any proposed changes in provincial education policy.

This is not the first time FNESC has worked with the federal and provincial governments to further First Nations education in BC. In 2006, federal Bill C-34, the First Nations Jurisdiction Over Education in British Columbia Act, was developed in partnership with the federal and provincial governments and FNESC. The bill allowed each First Nation community to determine the needs and structures of its own education system. In 2007, the province passed legislation supporting the federal legislation.

Jeffrey doesn’t see the signing of the tripartite agreement as premature considering the National Education Panel, appointed by the federal government and the Assembly of First Nations, has yet to make its recommendations regarding First Nations education. She noted that when the panel was in BC, members were informed of the tripartite agreement which was then being negotiated.

“I’m hoping when the national panel report comes out there will be recognition for the need for diversity across the country,” said Jeffrey.

Jeffrey said the FNESC has “flagged” some areas of the tripartite agreement for ongoing discussion, including funding for technology and transportation.

“We want to really do our homework and find out what the actual costs will be so we can implement accordingly,” said Jeffrey.

Participation in the tripartite agreement is up to individual First Nations. The FNESC is presently holding regional meetings to inform bands and councils of the details of the agreement and the impact it could have for local schools.

“We’ve done a lot of work negotiating this agreement on the part of our organizations. We’re satisfied with what we’ve been able to achieve and codify within the agreement,” said Jeffrey.

First Nations have until March 15 to send in a Band Council Resolution indicating their support to come under the tripartite agreement.

Jeffrey noted that participating in the tripartite agreement does not mean a First Nation cannot pursue jurisdiction.

The tripartite agreement states: “The Parties acknowledge that any British Columbia First Nation may choose to enter into negotiations and conclude a self-government education agreement pursuant to the First Nations Jurisdiction over Education in British Columbia Act and become a Participating First Nation, as defined in that Act, in which case this agreement will no longer apply with respect to that First Nation.”

Photo caption: Signing the Tripartite Education Framework Agreement for British Columbia (from left) were Debbie Jeffrey, executive director with First Nations Education Steering Committee; Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister John Duncan ; Tyrone McNeil, president of FNESC; and Nathan Matthew, Chief of Simpcw First Nation and FNESC advisor/negotiator.