Council of Ministers of Education, Canada

• Overview
• CMEC Indigenous Education Plan, 2023-27
• CMEC Indigenous Education Plan, 2019–22
• CMEC Symposium on Indigenizing Teacher Education (2018)
• CMEC Indigenous Education Plan 2015–17
• CMEC Aboriginal Educators’ Symposium
• CMEC Educators' Forum on Aboriginal Education
• Summit on Aboriginal Education
• Summit on Aboriginal Education (report)
• CMEC Indigenous Education 2005–2015
• Indigenous Best Practices

 

 

Since 2005, CMEC has been steadily engaged in implementing a plan of work on Aboriginal Education. This began with the CMEC Aboriginal Education Action Plan and was guided by three pan-Canadian objectives: sharing best practices in Aboriginal education, strengthening the capacity for evidence-based decision making, and addressing teacher-training issues in Aboriginal education.

In 2011, to build upon the successes of CMEC's work up to that time, the action plan was updated to include a fourth focus area to increase engagement with the federal government on Aboriginal education issues. This became the CMEC Strategic Plan on Aboriginal Education. The information below provides a high-level overview of CMEC's four focus areas in Aboriginal education in the context of its strategic and action plans as of 2011.

1. Sharing best practices in Aboriginal education

CMEC developed an on-line database that provides a snapshot of provincial, territorial, and federal best practices for Aboriginal students in early childhood, elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and adult education. The database can be searched by theme, level, and jurisdiction. This database will remain accessible; however, no further updates will be made. CMEC remains committed to sharing relevant information to support positive education outcomes for all Aboriginal students and interested stakeholders.

2. Strengthening the capacity for evidence-based decision making

CMEC has a long tradition of facilitating the development of robust, comparable education data to inform provincial and territorial policy development and decision making. Through the Canadian Education Statistics Council (CESC), a joint venture of CMEC's and Statistics Canada's, work continues on defining, collecting, and sharing Aboriginal-education-related data.

3. Addressing teacher-training issues in Aboriginal education

Ministers of education, in consultation with national and regional Aboriginal education organizations, continue to work with faculties of education, school boards, and teachers' colleges to move forward on the training of Aboriginal teachers and facilitate the inclusion of Aboriginal culture and history in teacher-education programs.

4. Engaging with the federal government

In a spirit of collaboration, CMEC is committed to working with the federal government in areas of mutual interest, with a view to improving the educational outcomes of Aboriginal Canadians.