Aboriginal high school completion rates continually show improvement

“I am pleased to see that Aboriginal students are once again making significant progress in their completion rates. We continue to look for ways to incorporate Aboriginal culture and history into our classrooms and ensure that our schools provide support and encouragement for these students.”
Don McRae, Minister of Education

More Aboriginal students completed high school last year than ever before, building on more than ten years of steady improvement.
The overall Aboriginal student completion rate for public and independent schools combined in 2011-12 was 56.4 percent, up from 53.7 percent in 2010-11, and up from 50.4 per cent in 2009-10. During the past ten years, Aboriginal completion rates have increased by nearly 14 percent.
Some districts are showing remarkable improvement. Aboriginal completion rates in the Comox Valley (SD71) increased by 18 percent in one year, and over five years, the rate in the Boundary school district (SD51) has increased by more than 36 percent.
To support Aboriginal student success, 53 school districts have five-year Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreements in place. These agreements bring together districts, local Aboriginal communities and the Ministry of Education to encourage Aboriginal academic achievement and bring Aboriginal culture and history into classrooms for the benefit of all students.
As well, last year the Ministry of Education created a new position, superintendent of Aboriginal Achievement, to maintain community partnerships, support the development of personalized learning opportunities, and further strengthen Aboriginal completion rates.
Submitted