Based on the mandate of the Saskatchewan Indian Education and Training Commission (SIETC) that includes the Protection, Promotion and Implementation of the Treaty Right to Education, the SIETC has approved that the Vice Chief and the Education and Training Secretariat concentrate on four initiatives that are intended to support and lead to the implementation of the Treaty Right to Education.

INITIATIVE ONE:

Assist in the coordination and development of a province-wide language immersion model that will encompass early childhood development to Grade 12. This will include working with the First Nations, Tribal Councils and Institutions in developing a model or models that reflect the needs of the different First Nation language groups in Saskatchewan.

INITIATIVE TWO:

Work with the regional education authorities that have been established or are in the process of being established by the First Nations and Tribal Councils and examine the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a province-wide education board and of a province-wide education system.

INITIATIVE THREE:

Establish a database that would support First Nation research capacities.
This would include:

• undertaking discussions with the institutions who work with the Secretariat in creating a database that would encompass research and statistical information; and
• undertake discussion with Tribal Councils, First Nations and urban groups on their research/survey initiatives that could be incorporated into the database

INITIATIVE FOUR:

Begin a legal research project to build the capacity and establish the foundation of facts that supports the First Nation position that the Treaty right to education includes post secondary education. Internal work to include assigning a legal researcher to begin work that would form part of the database identified under Initative Three. This work will also include expanding the definition of education to include technical trades, occupational skills training, language and culture.

The following link is some background information regarding the Treaties and the Treaty Right to Education.

Treaty Right to Education: A Presentation Report from the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, Education and Training Secretariat