Question Period Note: Education

N.A.

• All First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children and youth deserve education support that enables them to reach their full potential.

• Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) co-developed a transformative policy and funding approach for First Nations elementary and secondary education on reserve.

• We continue to collaborate with Indigenous partners to help ensure that students have access to post-secondary education strategies to support First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation students to help close the education gap.

N.A.

If pressed on Elementary and Secondary Education:
• ISC co-developed a transformative policy and funding approach for First Nations elementary and secondary education on reserve.

• ISC provides funding that is based on what students receive in provincial schools, including language and culture, full-day kindergarten, and school food programming.

• Through this approach, funding for elementary and secondary education has grown by 112% between 2015-16 and 2024-25. If pressed on Graduation Rates:
• According to Census data, the gap between the First Nations (18-24) population living on reserve and non Indigenous Canadians secondary education attainment has narrowed from 44.5% in 2016 to 37% in 2021.

• In 2022-23, ISC implemented a new cohort-based graduation rate methodology aligned with Statistics Canada’s Pan-Canadian methodology and informed by feedback from First Nations communities.

• The percentage of First Nations on-reserve students who graduate from secondary school increased from 26% in 2022-23 to 30% in 2023-24 for on-time graduation and from 44% to 49% for extended-time graduation. If pressed on Annual Increases to Funding:
• The co-developed policy and funding approach for First Nations elementary and secondary education provides provincially comparable funding for students residing on reserve.

• The education formulas are updated annually to account for a variety of factors, including student population and provincial funding rate changes.

• The formulas are refined in collaboration with First Nations to reflect the most accurate data available and have been stabilized to ensure that First Nations receive predictable funding year-over-year. If pressed on Education Infrastructure:

• ISC infrastructure investments support the creation of quality learning environments, promoting better educational outcomes for students living on reserves.

• As of March 31, 2025 ISC has invested $2.29 billion to support 337 education infrastructure and supporting projects, which will result in the construction or renovation of 235 schools that will benefit approximately 39,000 students.

• ISC continues to support First Nations students through infrastructure funding to ensure they have safe places to learn and grow.
If pressed on Language and Cultural Programming
• The Government of Canada recognizes that investments in language and culture are a critical component of successful First Nation education systems on reserve.
• ISC provide approximately $1,500 per student per year to support language and culture programming in on-reserve schools.

• In 2024-25, 94% of students attending First Nations administered schools were taught at least one subject in a First Nations language and approximately 96% were provided with culturally based curriculum or land-based learning services. If pressed on Regional Education Agreements

• The Government of Canada recognizes that the establishment of education systems designed, implemented, and managed by First Nations communities, is a significant step towards improving educational success for First Nations students.

• Regional education agreements are a pathway for First Nations partners to advance their vision for education systems to improve student success.

• To date, 11 regional education agreements have been signed with First Nations partners. The nine active agreements supported over 25,000 students from 191 First Nations across five provinces.

• As of March 31, 2025, 53 First Nation organizations accessed regional education agreement development funding to participate at a regional technical table or to engage in regional education agreement development discussions. Active discussions are ongoing with more than 15 organizations. If pressed on Adult Education

• Budget 2021 announced $350 million over five years to support First Nations adult learners on reserve to prepare, complete, or upgrade their secondary education.

• ISC launched the First Nations Adult Education in Yukon and Northwest Territories program in order to support local program development and delivery, to provide enhanced student supports to improve access to education in the North.

• This investment also supports Indigenous Institutes to develop and pilot programming through the First Nations Adult Secondary Education Program.
If pressed on Post-Secondary Education Support for Students:
• Over the last decade the Government of Canada has invested over $1.2 billion in Indigenous post-secondary education.

• These investments were used to expand financial assistance for First Nations students in their pursuit of a post-secondary education.

• They also support the Inuit and Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategies, which include funding for students, complementary programs and services and governance capacity to support service delivery. If pressed on Post-Secondary Education Support for Institutions
• The First Nations Post-Secondary Education Strategy supports the Post-Secondary Partnerships Program, which has a core budget of $22.1 million per year.

• ISC provides funding to support First Nations to define their own partnerships with institutions, leading to an increase in the availability of post-secondary education programs tailored to cultural and educational needs.

• ISC is also implementing the Inuit and Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategies, which can support both post-secondary education institutions and community partnerships.
If pressed on Budget 24 Investments
• Budget 2024 invested:
o $649.4 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to support elementary and secondary education on reserve;
o $545.1 million over three years starting in 2024-25, for First Nations education infrastructure; and
o $242.7 million over three years, starting in 2024-25 for First Nations students through the Post-Secondary Student Support Program.

• In addition, Budget 2024 provided $1 billion over five years starting in 2024-25 to create a National School Food Program, which includes investments for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, as well as self-governing and modern treaty partners. If pressed on Reform of Provincial School Curricula
• Given that education off reserve falls under the jurisdiction of provinces and territories, the Government of Canada has no direct control over the development of curricula.

• ISC supports First Nations partners to engage with provincial and territorial governments on such matters.

• Canada has worked to leverage relationships with organizations such as the Council of Ministers of Education, in order to enhance the knowledge and awareness of Indigenous history and culture.