– Education –
E-Learning Centre
“YOU CAN BRANCH OUT INTO ANY FIELD YOU LIKE IF YOU HAVE THE PROPER ROOTS IN EDUCATION”
Statistics demonstrate that school continues to be an alienating experience for Aboriginal children and youth.
- The drop out rate for First Nations students is 21/2 times the National average,
- 45% of First Nations students have dropped out of school compared to 16% of mainstream
- Only 37% of First Nations peoples on reserves have some high school education
Until the spring of 2003, the members of the Fort McKay First Nation were a part of these deplorable statistics.
That historic spring the Athabasca Tribal Council education committee determined that the communities in the region would no longer be a passive participant in these phenomena. This determination led to representatives from the area scouring the province in search of a school or program that would enable high school students to experience success. After many days of traveling and many visits to various educational facilities in the province the team happened across the Sunchild E-Learning community. This school, which is on the O’Chiese reserve, was exactly what they had been looking for. They entered a classroom where students were obviously interested in what they were doing and were happy to be there.
Thus began an intense but short period in which the program was investigated in detail and deemed the tool which would best set the youth of Fort McKay on a futuristic and rewarding path to success. With blessings from Elsie Fabian, a respected elder and the full support of Chief and council, Lindsey Pinkney the education and training coordinator produced a proposal for pilot funding for bringing the program home. Lee Nehring, the projects supervisor for Shell Canada very quickly approved the proposal and she has become one of the most vocal supporters of the Centre.
Today Fort McKay boasts a virtual high school. With an incredibly high success rate the Fort McKay E-Learning Centre has facilities for 11 full time students and can accommodate more part time. It is a great school and is located in the lower level of the new and beautiful band office. This year there will be more McKay high school graduates from this small school than from the 3 mainstream high schools combined.
It is here that students can obtain an advanced or general high school diploma. At present all students attending have attempted mainstream high schools and for a variety of reasons are now here and experiencing success on a daily basis. The reasons for our successful completion rates are many, but perhaps the most significant contributing factors are high caliber teachers who remain flexible, an ever present and extremely supportive work environment and a generous budget to ensure all technical and incentive requirements are met.
The Fort McKay Band is proud to say that no longer are we one of the many reserves who fit the Stats Canada profiles of Aboriginal Education Levels.
In fact with the recent addition of core courses in grade 7 to 8 available through the
E-Learning Centre our band could well set the record for success in high schools across
the First Nations.
For more information on the service provider for this highly successful program please check at www.sccyber.net. Or for more information about the Fort McKay E-Learning program call (780) 828-2490.
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