Governments create policies to provide direction for the implementation of goals that they have set. Those goals are based on the ideals of the government in power and they are a reflection of the beliefs of that government. In some cases, the policies are developed after a consultation process. In other cases, policies are imposed on people who do not necessarily agree with the actions of the government that is in power.

Every institution, including education systems develops policies to implement their goals. The government in power takes on the responsibility of developing policies. Not all policies are written in a formal manner. This has created confusion in regards to the federal government’s delivery of education services. Sometimes, policies have been implemented based on past practice. In the case of the federal government this has resulted in a variety of education delivery mechanisms across the country delivered by regional offices.

There have been numerous studies conducted that examine the state of First Nations education. Upon review many of the recommendations are similar. Whether the recommendations were being made by grandmothers, teachers, administrators, students or independent evaluators the message was always the same – First Nations education must be grounded in the culture, language and perspectives of each First Nation to be successful.

In Ontario, the government has developed a new policy framework which emphasizes the need for improvements in student achievement. Significant funding and infrastructure supports have been provided by the provincial government to implement new initiatives. Many school boards are now providing resources that will enable all students to learn about, and understand the perspectives of First Nations.

There is also a movement towards basing educational improvement on the results of standardized testing. While standardized tests can be helpful to develop local benchmarks for improvement, consideration must also be given to factors such as culturally-biased testing, testing “readiness”, social factors and the availability of funding supports to support the school program.

Polices are also developed at the local level. First Nations develop policies to describe the goals they have set to deliver education programs and services in their communities. This can include personnel policies, school policies and procedures and school program polices (e.g. curriculum, language).

Policies are necessary to protect the legal interests of employers and to define their relationship with their employees, parents and students.

The National Indian Brotherhood (Assembly of First Nations) produced a landmark document, Tradition and Education: Towards a Vision of Our Future in 1988. This comprehensive document reflected the results of a major national review of First Nations education in Canada.

Federal Government Polices

Canada has developed legislation, policies, programs and services regarding the education of First Nations people. In fact, even before Canada became a country in 1867, England decided that education for First Nations should be delivered by missionaries and churches.

In 1867, the British North America Act (now the Constitution Act, 1982) assigned responsibility for the education of Indian students to the federal government and the responsibility for the education of all other students to the provinces. After Confederation, one of the first actions of the Canadian government was to enact legislation known as the Indian Act which formed the basis for First Nations education in Canada up to the present-day. In the Indian Act, Sections 114-123 deal with education.

Examples of federal government research that have influenced the education of First Nations people include:

• Integration Policy, 1948
• Hawthorn Report 1967
• White Paper 1969
• MacPherson Report on Tradition and Education: Towards a Vision of our Future, 1991
• Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples Report, 1996

Ontario First Nation, Metis, and Inuit Policy Framework 2007

Policy Statement

The Ministry of Education is committed to First Nation, Metis, and Inuit student success. Through cooperation and partnerships with First Nation, Metis, and Inuit families, communities, and organizations, First Nation governments and education authorities, school boards, other Ontario ministries, the federal government, the Ontario College of Teachers, and faculties of education, the ministry is committed to developing strategies that will:

• Increase the capacity of the education system to respond to the learning and cultural needs of First Nation, Metis and Inuit students;
• Provide quality programs, services, and resources to help create learning opportunities for First Nation, Metis and Inuit students that support improved academic achievement and identity building;
• Provide a curriculum that facilitates learning about contemporary and traditional First Nation, Metis, and Inuit cultures, histories, and perspectives among all students, and that also contributes to the education of school board staff, teachers, and elected trustees; and
• Develop and implement strategies that facilitate increased participation by First Nation, Metis, and Inuit parents, students, communities, and organizations in working to support academic success.