After it was found the B.C. Ministry of Education was not doing enough to ensure Aboriginal students were graduating from secondary school, the provincial government announced they are moving forward to address the concerns.
On November 5th, 2015, the Auditor General of British Columbia released their latest audit that examined Aboriginal education in the B.C. public school system. Auditor Carol Bellringer said the Ministry of Education committed to increasing the Aboriginal student graduation rate to 85 per cent by 2015, “but the ministry did not lead the development of a system-wide strategy to achieve their target.”
The concerns raised by the auditor general’s report were addressed Friday, with Education Minister Mike Bernier announcing that B.C. schools will no longer issue School Completion Certificates or “Evergreen Certificates” to students unless they are classified as students with special needs and have an Individual Education Plan.
An Evergreen Certificate is “awarded to students who meet the goals of their educational program other than graduation.”
It was recommended by the auditor general that the Ministry of Education only grant School Completion Certificates to students who require a modified program “due to a special need that prevents them from working toward graduation.
The Ministry of Education agreed with the recommendation, stating that a disproportionately high number of Aboriginal students were receiving Evergreen certificates.
At the request of the First Nations Education Steering Committee, the British Columbia School Trustees Association and the BC Teachers’ Federation, the Evergreen Certificate will now be restricted to its original use.
"This amendment is a key element in addressing the racism of low expectations identified in the recent Auditor General's report on Aboriginal education,” said President of the First Nations Education Steering Committee, Tyrone McNeil.
“We applaud the province for its leadership and we look forward to working collaboratively with our education partners to make systemic changes that improve First Nations student outcomes.”
The government’s goal is to ensure all students graduate with a Dogwood diploma so they are prepared for college or university. Restricting the use of the Evergreen Certificate will allow all students to graduate with the necessary skills and knowledge to reach their potential both in school and upon graduation as they move into their adult lives.
