Enhancement Agreements Continue to Fail Métis Students in BC

(Surrey, BC) BC Métis Federation continues to support Métis community partners and today submitted the most recent letter to outline ongoing concerns related to the lack of meaningful engagement for Métis cultural education and Métis community engagement with Surrey School District #36. This issue remains at the forefront of issues related to Métis students in the K-12 public education system throughout BC. 

The Provincial Government created Aboriginal Enhancement agreements several years ago to support an increase in academic achievements for Aboriginal, including Métis, students as well as to support Aboriginal cultural awareness for students within the school districts in BC. Several school districts throughout BC have worked to sign Aboriginal Enhancement agreements and have engaged with various Métis community organizations in a limited capacity. The School District with an Enhancement Agreement is provided additional resources by the Provincial Ministry of Education to support the academic and cultural outcomes, approximately $1100/student.

BC Métis Federation and Nova Métis Heritage Association in Surrey are disappointed after reviewing a draft Year Two report for the school district. The report lacks Métis language or clarify about how the Métis cultural interests are being supported within the School District that has an estimated 2000 Métis students as part of the overall Aboriginal student enrolment. BC Métis Federation President Henry stated; “The latest year two draft report by the Surrey School District demonstrates the ongoing lack of accountability to our Métis community and Métis families attending K-12 classrooms within the district. It is a draft report but there is no question about the lack of outcomes for Métis students that comprise a significant percentage of the Aboriginal student population.”

BC Métis Federation concluded; “This is serious concern for our members and partner communities. We recognize the challenges by this School District has over 3400 Aboriginal students and is awarded roughly $3.5 million each year of public resources. Métis students and the Métis community must be more involved to ensure future reports and initiatives work more effectively to support the proper place of our Métis culture. The facts continue to reveal that School Districts throughout BC seek basic Métis community engagement when seeking to sign these Aboriginal Enhancement Agreements in the beginning but then seemingly forget to maintain strong relationships to the agreement commitments after.”

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Media Inquiries: 

Keith Henry, President
BC Métis Federation
#300-3665 Kingsway
Vancouver, BC V5R 5W2
Office 1-604-638-7220          Cell 1-778-388-5013
Email k.henry@bcmetis.com

You can now follow BC Métis Federation President Keith Henry on twitter @keithhenryMetis
You can follow BC Métis Federation on twitter @BCMétis

Encl. BC Métis Federation Letter to Surrey School District #36
Year Two Report for 2013-2018 Draft SD 36 Report

[ilink url=”https://bcmetis.com/wp-content/uploads/BCMF-Press-Release-May-17th-2016-School-Districts-Failing-Metis-Students.pdf” style=”download”]Click here to download the press release in PDF format.[/ilink]

[ilink url=”https://bcmetis.com/wp-content/uploads/Year-Two-Report-for-2013-2018-DRAFT-SD-36-Report.pdf” style=”download”]Click here to download the 2013-2018 Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement Year Two Report 2014/15 Draft in PDF format.[/ilink]

[ilink url=”https://bcmetis.com/wp-content/uploads/BCMF-Letter-to-SD-36-Draft-Report-FINAL-Mr.-Lee.pdf” style=”download”]Click here to download BCMF’s letter to SD 36 re: the report in PDF Format.[/ilink]

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