Our Children Our Future Our Vision - People for Education

Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision
6. Post-Secondary Education (PSE)
Q1: Funding for Post-Secondary Education is a Treaty right. The majority of respondents, 84.9%,
were in full / overwhelmingly in agreement that PSE funding is a treaty right, with only 5.7% stating
that they were in total / some disagreement with the statement.
Q2: The funding levels are adequate and enable all students who want a post-secondary education
to receive one. In the area of funding levels for PSE, 80.7% of respondents were in total / some
disagreement that the levels were adequate, with only 11.3% in full / overwhelmingly in agreement
that the levels were adequate.
Q3: The administration and allocation of PSE funding would be better handled by a third party
organization with no close ties to First Nation communities. When it came to the administration
of PSE funding, 63.7% were in total disagreement, and 14.6% were in some disagreement that the
program would be better handled by a third party organization, for a total of 78.3%. Only 7.1% were
in full / overwhelmingly in agreement that it would be better handled by a third party, while 14.6%
had no opinion either way.
COMMENTS: There were a total of 66 comments in this category, which were coded under the
major themes of Funding Levels (14), Local Administration of PSE (12), Treaty Right (10), Access (8),
3rd Party Administration of PSE (2), and General Comments (20).
The majority of comments centred on Funding Levels (14) for PSE, which many felt needed to be
tied with “the higher cost of living,” and do not take into account annual increases in “tuition, book
fees, and other mandatory costs.” Many comments were from current and former students and
they noted their concerns to “pay rent or eat,” as well as to pay for childcare.
When it came to retaining local administrative control of PSE funds, 12 respondents felt that
it was better managed by the First Nation, with three (3) remarking that graduation levels had
increased since their First Nation began administering the program. Only two (2) responded that
the program would be better managed by a third party, and that there “should be better and more
transparent mechanisms” for awarding funding to students. Access (8) to PSE funding was also
commented on, with one student who was “refused funding in my community to continue with a
Master’s program,” and one who commented that “every year our Board has to make the tough
decisions about who is going to get funded.”
7. Capital, Construction, & Facilities
Q1: The quality, design, and maintenance of schools in First Nation communities are equivalent
to those found in the province. 80.4% of the respondents were in total / full disagreement with the
statement, while only 6.6% of the respondents felt that the quality, design, and maintenance of
Chiefs of Ontario
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