Overcoming the Obstacles: Postsecondary Education and Aboriginal Peoples

Abstract

For many Aboriginal peoples, trying to acquire a postsecondary education denotes overcoming a multitude of formidable barriers. Within this paper, I discuss the nature of these obstacles, which I classify as: (a) historical; (b) educational; (c) social, economic, and geographical; (d) cultural and pedagogical; and (e) financial. Also within this article, I offer suggestions of how to surmount each of these grave challenges.

Aboriginal Knowledge Infusion in Initial Teacher Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto

“…The literature reflects the belief that Aboriginal communities must have complete control of their education in order to transmit their culture, language, values, and beliefs to another generation and that everyone in the community is responsible for teaching the youth, especially the Elders (Akan, 1992;Battiste & Barman, 1995;Frideres & Gadacz, 2001;Preston, 2008;Stonechild, 2006). Within urban communities like Toronto, there is a multi-Aboriginal culture developed that is respectful and accepting of all traditional knowledge, languages, and beliefs.…”

“…Traditional learning passed on much more than traditional knowledge for the community to function; it also allowed for culture, language, and worldview to be passed on to the next generation (Battiste & Barman, 1995;Preston, 2008;Stonechild, 2006). Many Aboriginal people who live in urban cities have lost their Aboriginal languages but have maintained parts of their culture and worldview through connection to other Aboriginal people (McCaskill & Fitzmaurice, 2007).…”

“…It has been stated by many scholars that the Aboriginal population is the fastest growing and the youngest amongst the Canadian population (Preston, 2008). Mendelson (2006) reported that there were 188,315 self-identified Aboriginal people in Ontario in 2001.…”

The Decolonization of Northwest Community College

“…However, the educational success rate of Aboriginal students in Canada is well below that of nonAboriginals: 85% of non-Aboriginals obtain a high school diploma compared to 57% of Aboriginal students. This is especially troubling because the Aboriginal population is growing nearly six times faster than the non-Aboriginal population (Preston, 2008).…”

“…Thus, Aboriginal engagement in education and the labor force is an important priority for the Canadian government (Preston, 2008). Tompkins (2002) pointed out that non-Aboriginal educators often failed to understand the many issues of inequity to be addressed in the current Canadian educational system and assumed that First Nations parents and students did not value education.…”