(Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

By Ben Tompkins

East Central First Nations Education Partnership

Education agreements signed at James Smith Cree Nation

May 25, 2023 | 5:33 PM

The East Central First Nations Education Partnership (ECFNEP) has signed an Education Authority Agreement with Indigenous Services Canada, as well as two Education Services Agreements with the North East School Division (NESD) and the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division (SRPSD).

A signing ceremony was held at Bernard Constant Community School (BCCS) on James Smith Cree Nation (JSCN), earlier on Thursday to bring the groups together.

The agreements were signed to ‘create the structure for the three education entities to provide a quality education for all the children that meets their needs.’

It was also deemed as ‘providing a framework to facilitate the exercise of jurisdiction concerning the Spirit and Intent of Treaty, reconciliation and the right to a quality education regardless of where the student and their family reside.’

“It opens all aspects in regards to funding and any kind of resource that we need, it’s there,” said JSCN Chief Wally Burns. “Collaboration, I do believe in working together and one day, we’re going to show the province of Saskatchewan our identity. Bringing this scope together, I think we’re working on an initiative where we understand each other’s culture.”

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Part of these agreements involves the creation of a First Nations and Metis Advisory Council, or an Elder’s Council.

(Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

Currently, there is no such formal Council in place at the NESD, however, one is coming.

“This will benefit our school division by developing a partnership with the First Nation which is located close to our schools in Melfort so that we can share some of our ideas, and resources, and in the end benefit our students and children,” said Marla Walton, Vice-chair of the NESD.

“I think there is also an opportunity for the people from the James Smith Cree Nation to educate us so that we can become better citizens and learn and understand their culture better, which is something that we are very much looking forward to,” Walton added.

Another part of the agreement is providing services and supports for students with special needs.

If a First Nations student attending a NESD or SRPSD school requires special needs services, they will be provided as needed and the cost will be paid back by the partnership.

The ECFNEP currently operates the BCCS located on the JSCN reserve. During the 2022/23 school year, the enrollment at BCCS is 384.

(Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

The majority of the students are from one of the three First Nations at James Smith, the Chakastaypasin Band and the Peter Chapman Band.

“In regards to our education path, we are addressing our new school year now and we have made some commitments within the agreements that will highlight our opportunities to bring success from nursery all the way to Grade 12, and now the new opportunity that exists with our adult ed program as well,” said Randy Constant, ECFNEP director of education.

“We’ve got some work to do, and I have a strong team of consultants who are more committed to bringing success at all levels of the school. The challenges for us lie with what can we bring to the table and how can we ensure sustainability and address success for all our students in our system,” Constant added.

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