Canada shifts policy in effort to narrow Indigenous education funding gap

The Canadian government is changing how it allocates nearly $2B in annual funding for First Nations education in an effort to close the gap between on-reserve students and those enrolled in provincial school systems, reports CBC. While provincial governments manage education off-reserve, the federal government funds on-reserve education. Indigenous Services Minister Seamus O'Regan said this week that the new model was developed after an extensive engagement process involving several organizations, including the Assembly of First Nations, and that one of its core goals is to provide predictable year-over-year funding in line with provincial per-student amounts. Under the new approach, First Nations schools will also receive $1.5K per student every year towards language and cultural programs, while schools will offer full kindergarten for on-reserve kids aged four and five. The funding will be within the jurisdiction and control of chiefs and band councils. CBC | APTN News | Canada (National)