Page 7 - Ontario First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework

Introduction
The Ontario government is dedicated to excellence in public education
for all students, including First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students. This position is reflected in Ontario’s New Approach to Aboriginal Affairs, released by the government in June 2005, which envisions prosperous and healthy Aboriginal communities that will create a better future for Aboriginal children and youth.1 Ontario and Aboriginal leaders recognize the impor- tance of education in improving lifelong opportunities for First Nation, Métis, and Inuit children and youth. Ontario’s New Approach to Aboriginal Affairs commits the government to working with Aboriginal leaders and organizations to improve education outcomes among Aboriginal students.2
Acting on this commitment, the Ministry of Education has identified Aboriginal education as one of its key priorities, with a focus on meeting two primary challenges by the year 2016 – to improve achievement among First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students and to close the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students in the areas of literacy and numer- acy, retention of students in school, graduation rates, and advancement to postsecondary studies. The ministry recognizes that, to achieve these goals, effective strategies must be developed to meet the particular educational needs of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students.
The Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework, as presented in this document, is intended to provide the strategic policy context within which the Ministry of Education, school boards,3 and schools will work together to improve the academic achievement of the estimated 50,312 Aboriginal students who attend provincially funded elementary and secondary schools in Ontario (18,300 First Nations, 26,200 Métis, and 600 Inuit students who live in the jurisdictions of school boards, and 5,212 living in First Nations communities but served under a
1. The term Aboriginal includes First Nation, Métis, and Inuit peoples. First Nation, Métis, or Inuit students are referred to specifically where appropriate to the context.
2. See Appendix A for background on Aboriginal education in Ontario.
3. In this document, the term school boards is used in reference to both district school boards and school authorities.
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