Foreign Literature

Indigenous Peoples Education in the Canadian Setting

According to Nicette Ganal (2017), the Canadian Constitution Act, 1982, section 35, defines
aboriginal people as Indian, Métis, or Inuit. Aboriginal knowledge and heritage are rights
protected under the Constitution, and aboriginal people should preserve their cultures,
languages, customs, and knowledge. In relation to the aforementioned, the Association of
Canadian Deans of Education constituting of deans, directors, and chairs of education in
Canadian universities and university-colleges launched its Accord on Indigenous Education
on June 1, 2010. The Accord advances indigenous identities, cultures, languages, values,
ways of knowing, and knowledge systems in all Canadian learning setting. The goals
include: respect and welcome learning environments, respect inclusive curricula, respond
culturally to pedagogies, value and promote indigeniety in education, respond culturally to
assessment, affirm and neutralize indigenous languages, indigenized education leadership,
and respect indigenous research. ACDE enhances the profile and benefits of indigenous
education within its member institutions and to the public largely (Archibald,
2010/Association of Canadian Deans of Education, 2010 & 2015). Consequently, the
member institutions of the Accord on Indigenous Education have concretized their
respective programs, projects, and activities as evidence of their continued support to
indigenous education as follows: 1) Creation of web portal for sharing of course materials,
curricula, reading lists, websites, and other materials to ensure that aboriginal education is
infused into education curricula; 2) Establishment of Aboriginal centers that offer support
as well as informal gathering spaces for Aboriginal students; 3) Conduct of indigenous
conferences in collaboration with indigenous communities; 4) Offering of program
specializing in indigenous education in the BEd; 5) Holding of teaching practicum in an
aboriginal community;6) Offering of a master’s program in education aimed at the study
and capture of endangered languages; 7) Designing courses and programs specifically for
aboriginal students and infusion of aboriginal content into existing courses and programs;
8) Creation of a community-based Aboriginal Council which advises on institutional
policies, procedures, practices, and programs to ensure they reflect and respect the
interests and needs of aboriginal communities, an initiative in consultation with aboriginal
scholars; 9) promotion of a stronger indigenous presence in post-secondary education;10)
Integration of aboriginal and indigenous knowledge in graduate courses: aboriginal
content is included in all core learning areas, and aboriginal content is included in their
future classrooms. With these, teacher candidates are better prepared to teach aboriginal
learners; 11) Establishment of an Access Working Group that supports aboriginal students
during the application process and throughout the programs; 12) Offering opportunities
for a career in Indigenous Teacher Education; and 13) meeting the needs of teaching
indigenous material to both indigenous and non-indigenous students emphasizing on
indigenous language skills and deep understanding of Native Canadian cultures (ACDE’s
Accord on Indigenous Education: Progress Report, 2011).

Foreign Literature
According to Gonzalez T, de la Rubia MA, Hincz KP, Comas-Lopez M, Subirats L, Fort S, et al.
(2020), they analyzes the effects of COVID-19 confinement on the autonomous learning
performance of students in higher education. Using a field experiment with 458 students
from three different subjects at Universidad Autó noma de Madrid (Spain), we study the
differences in assessments by dividing students into two groups. The first group (control)
corresponds to academic years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. The second group
(experimental) corresponds to students from 2019/2020, which is the group of students
that had their face-to-face activities interrupted because of the confinement. The results
show that there is a significant positive effect of the COVID-19 confinement on students’
performance. This effect is also significant in activities that did not change their format
when performed after the confinement. We find that this effect is significant both in
subjects that increased the number of assessment activities and subjects that did not
change the student workload. Additionally, an analysis of students’ learning strategies
before confinement shows that students did not study on a continuous basis. Based on
these results, we conclude that COVID-19 confinement changed students’ learning
strategies to a more continuous habit, improving their efficiency. For these reasons, better
scores in students’ assessment are expected due to COVID-19 confinement that can be
explained by an improvement in their learning performance.
Foreign Literature
In another study, Morgan (2015) conducted a study on the current state of educational
services provided to the students of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Based on his
findings, it was found that there many improvements that need to be introduced to address
the issue especially when taking in the context of the request by the IP population for equal
access to education, taking into account the preservation of the values, culture and
traditions of these minority groups. Graham (2010), in his review of the rights of IP
students to education, mentioned that access is provided but noted that IP students were
required to learn and adopt on the type of education being taught to all students. This
means that typically, there is no specialized education provided to IP students that is
holistic in their learning capabilities and needs. This disregard to their current state of
living, competencies and levels of learning outcomes trigger the indigenous people’s
distrust in the government’s initiative and created their bad impression about education.
She suggested that there should be a controlled educational system that must be provided
in consultation with their leaders and the educators or the academic institutions.

Foreign Literature

INE as cited in Hallman, Peracca, Catino and Ruiz (n.d.)(2018) mentioned that there is a
disparity in the education and literacy among female and male IP students in Guatemala,
with female students performing better compared to the male students. Hallman et al (n.d.)
in their investigation of students in Guatemala found that educational opportunity for the
indigenous females in the rural areas were less benefited by them. Enrolment rates for
these groups are minimal and with higher drop outs rate. Indigenous males showed high
grade level achievement before reaching 10 years old even though in terms of enrolment
population, females are greater in number. By age 10 both gender achieved same grade
level. Gabriel (2018) emphasized the Department of Education’s commitment to implement
the Millennium Development Plan and Education for All Goals (EGA) of the government.
Through the Schools Division of Bataan, in consultation of the Ayta elders, specific lesson
plan and educational instructions and materials were designed for the IP children’s
education. The progress of these students were documented, especially those that are
related to their languages and culture. These are called “Alternative Learning Systems” in
the form of curricula that focus on IP culture, course materials and tools and other
assessments to determine the effectiveness of the instruction on the learning’s of these
marginalized people at the community level. The Education for All (EFA) addresses the
concerns of these IP people who are not able to avail of the educational services due to
their location, poverty and other socio-economic factors.

Foreign Literature
Synder (2008) found inequality in the educational system in Peru among Indigenous and
non-Indigenous People. They found that there seemed to be low appropriation of financial
and support services and/or resources. In his study, it was found that there are statistical
difference in many indicators that are related to the profile, household and school factors
and points that this need to be taken into consideration by the government to close the
gaps. In an earlier study, the same issues and concerns about IP education between He
suggested that more funds must be provided to this minority group and education must
also focus on the use of bilingual education system to address issues related to the IP’s
monolinguals (Ukeda, 2003). Ewing et.al (2017) did not only emphasize on this inequality
in education but also on the training given and employability of IP youths in urban, rural
and regional areas across Australia. Contrary to the literature that they had reviewed
which highlighted on the problems encountered by Aboriginal people on their
employments, practices in hiring and retention, the case studies that were conducted
proved that these people are able to get jobs and training opportunities which are available
and given to other employees. Despite some hurdles and issues, their employability in the
community where they live is still good.
Kellard and Paddon (2016) conducted a qualitative study on the indigenous children’s
early education prior to taking the compulsory education mandated by law in selected
communities in Australia. It was found that participation in this endeavor was made out of
trust. They found that both parents and children who participated in this endeavor
benefitted from it. Early childhood education has prepared the students in coping with
education especially in again skills related to both numbers and literacy, which was crucial
for the compulsory education.
Moreover, the gap existing between them and the non-indigenous students could hardly be
distinguished. Like any other poor people, issues related to the cost of education, means of
transportation, awareness and understanding by the IP parents on the importance of this
education and care In another study, Hall and Patrinos (2006) mentioned that there is a
low rate of learning outcome among students because at an early age, they are already
required to work by the parents instead of attending classes or they are required to work
while they are studying. Compared to what Peracca, Catino and Ruiz, female students are
less likely to avail of the educational and health services. Their findings only confirm that
poverty and lack of access to educational services are big stumbling blocks for the IP
students to their right to education. They believe that lack of access to these services is
road blocks to assist the educational needs of the students.

Foreign Literature

Jimenez and Vera (2010) according to them, the elementary education among indigenous
students in Bolivia and found access to education gaps. They suggested that government
intervention is crucial to address the gaps by conducting seminars and trainings among
teachers to improve instructions. It was observed that there is a high dropout rate among
students in the rural areas compared to those in the urban areas due to the lack of teaching
skills of some teachers. This was also emphasized in the study conducted by Lukong (2016)
where intervention was also undertaken by the government on the educational system that
will be provided in Cameroon. For this undertaking, he stressed that it should be holistic
and encompassing, irrespective of the age, gender, ethnicity of the students. Among the IP
students, the local language must be used as the medium of instruction to enable to
students to understand or grasp the learning and/or instructions provided by the teachers.
Moreover, education should also focus on value formation, culture, livelihood, and other
curricular instructions that can be used for IP students learning. This is tantamount to
providing tailored type of education for a better appreciation by the students who will
attend the class.