Canada’s contemporary policy on Aboriginal education

Far Eastern Federal University, FEFU Campus, 10 Ajax Bay, Russky Island, Vladivostok 690922, Russia
Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of the Peoples of the Far East, IHAE FEB RAS, 89 Pushkinskaia St., Vladivostok 690001, Russia

^* Corresponding author: lgarusova@mail.ru

Abstract

The article analyzes the process of transformation of the educational system of the Indigenous peoples, the key factor of which is the policy of the Canadian government. Based on the analysis of documents and materials of the federal government of Canada and regional authorities, qantitative and qualitative characteristics of the modern educational status of Aboriginal peoples have been identified. Canada's Aboriginal education system has gone through a difficult path from destructive forms of education for culture, family and personality, to humane and careful attitude towards students, their national roots and traditions. The policy of compensating for the damage done in the past and supporting the Indigenous peoples in the field of education goes in several directions. Among them there are payments to those Aborigines who have suffered physically or mentally in boarding schools in the past; equalization of education levels of Indigenous peoples and other Canadians, support of Aboriginal languages and culture. The main tools in the implementation of modern government policy are increased funding for the education of the Indigenous population and the collaboration of the authorities with public organizations and Aboriginal communities.