News Items of Interest


Enhancement Agreements to Support Aboriginal Student Success

Latest Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement Signings [more]:

Updated after each EA signing

Reciprocal Tuition - Application

In 2009, the Province of British Columbia agreed to fund First Nations schools for students eligible to receive a provincially funded education. This program is called Reciprocal Tuition because First Nations remain responsible for the tuition of students who live on reserve but choose to attend public schools.

Band-operated non-independent schools with eligible students should download the 2011 Reciprocal Tuition Funding Application Package (PDF, 317KB). This one PDF contains the complete application materials. At the same time, the sample student-level spreadsheet is also available for download in Microsoft Excel and the Reciprocal Tuition Agreement is available in Microsoft Word.

Questions can be directed to Ministry of Education contacts referenced within the application package. Additional assistance is available from the Ministry’s Aboriginal education team:

Reception Rob Hicks
1-888-879-1166 (toll free) 1-888-879-1166 (toll free)
250-356-1891 250-213-5314
EDUC.AboriginalEducation@gov.bc.ca Rob.Hicks@gov.bc.ca

Note: Certified Independent Band Schools are exempt from applying for Reciprocal Tuition.

Posted: September 2011

New Resource
Teaching Mathematics in a First Peoples Context: Grades 8 & 9

A new Mathematics 8 and 9 Teacher Resource Guide called Teaching Mathematics in a First Peoples Context: Grades 8 and 9 is now available on the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) website.

This Guide is designed to help teachers of Mathematics 8 and 9 in British Columbia extend their existing practice to incorporate new approaches that make the BC school system more reflective of the realities of First Peoples in BC, and improve overall levels of student success when it comes to meeting provincially prescribed standards for Mathematics at these grade levels.

The Guide has been developed by FNESC with assistance from the British Columbia Ministry of Education and support from the Education Partnerships Program of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.

Posted: September 2011

Free The Children

February 14-25, 2011 Free The Children, in partnership with the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative, shines the spotlight on the challenges facing a fair, quality education for Aboriginal youth.

Posted: February 2011

Students Preserve Legacy of Elders

Renowned Canadian poet Wendy Morton collaborates with Vernon School District on Together with the Children — The Elder Project (PDF 4.35MB), which paired Aboriginal students with Elders, who would tell their stories, and in turn the students would turn the stories into poems.

Posted: January 2011