The First Nations Education Council (FNEC) wishes to thank post-secondary institutions that have adapted their measures to ensure their First Nations students can resume classes. The FNEC and Kiuna Institution have worked together and are asking all institutions to do the same.
Most First Nations students returned to their communities to be with their families when the suspension of classes was announced. Isolation measures have considerably tightened since the March 13 announcement, and have forced students to resume their classes in less than favourable learning conditions including overcrowded living quarters and more technical aspects like bandwidth in remote regions.
"Some First Nations post-secondary students are experiencing increased anxiety because they cannot retrieve their textbooks or because they do not have adequate IT equipment or even access to the Internet. We are doing everything we can to mitigate these issues," says FNEC's Director General, Denis Gros-Louis. "However, we should commend the many post-secondary institutions that have followed Kiuna's lead in taking measures to help students return to class by abating their concerns about the current crisis, how classes would resume and juggling their family and school responsibilities," says Denis Gros-Louis.
Kiuna Institution is the only First Nations college open to students from any nationality and has a 75% average graduation rate. Despite the current situation, Kiuna's team is innovating and implementing best practices to pursue its mission to ensure the success of its students. "Kiuna Institution is a college that operates on a human scale, and is proving this even more under the current circumstances. Teachers have considered the situation of EACH student in their reorganization of classes and evaluation procedures," says Kiuna's Associate Director, Prudence Hannis.
The FNEC is asking post-secondary institutions to be understanding and flexible to make this virtual return to school easier for everyone during this unusual time. "All students must have equal opportunity to continue their courses and succeed no matter where they live, their surroundings or reality," says Denis Gros-Louis
