Education Challenges

Dropping Out Starts at a Young Age

Donat Jean-Pierre
March 3, 2011
Matimekush

"It's like sending a Quebecker to China to study."

Donat Jean-Pierre, Innu

For all children, school is a challenge. For the young Innu of Matimekush, this challenge is twofold. After kindergarten, they start learning in French, a second language for most of them. Adapting to a new education system also requires a lot of effort. The outcome isn’t certain and the risk of dropping out is already there. Although many will drop out in high school, the desire to drop out starts to develop in elementary school, says Donat Jean-Pierre. Which is why elementary school doesn’t always lead to high school.

Transcript

Interview with Donat Jean-Pierre. A picture of him graces the sound of his voice.

Donat Jean-Pierre

It's, it's not easy, y’know. School’s not easy, in the first place. The language is a second language. It's like here in school. Our 4-year-old and 5-year-old students are instructed in the Innu language. First grade is in the, uh, French language. And then, within 2-3 months, after kindergarten, they go to grade one and say, “Here, Pierre! Here’s your math book and your French book! Here you go!” It's not obvious, eh. Y’know, it's like... sending a Quebecer to study in China. Well, I don't know how long it's going take to, uh, y’know. So, it's... That’s the reality. We talk about school drop outs, and yes, drop outs due to language. But dropping out doesn't start in high school. It starts, uh, in elementary school. Even in grade one, two, three, it's important.

But it’s a question of the language of instruction, that’s what’s difficult.

Interviewer

So, the problem of young people dropping out could be partly explained through the issue of the language of instruction?

Donat Jean-Pierre

Well, I'd say partially. I'm not saying 50%, but it has an impact, it has an impact. But even as I was saying earlier, even for me, when I was in Cégep, regarding the writing of assignments, uh, even at university, we had assignments to submit and, uh, to write, to think in Innu. Oh okay, in my... it sounds good... Okay, I'll write it down. And then, when it's time to write in French, and I’m stuck. I’m stuck. How will I formulate my thoughts, because, regarding the level of language, you speak Innu, you speak French, but thought, it’s not the same thing. In Innu, it's easy. And if I speak Innu today, with an Innu in front of me, it will be easier, it comes out naturally.

But, when I speak with someone French, a Quebecker, uh,... There's like a split second where I have to think about it a little longer. So, it's the same when it comes to doing written work.

And I guess, we're talking about education, we're talking about elementary school students, first grade; it must be difficult, let's face it. And, from grade one to grade six, there are two periods of Innu language. Like in our schedule, we have 5 periods per day, and there are 7-day cycles. And within this 7-day cycle, there are two Innu language classes.

Well, we were talking about culture beforehand and look, two Innu language classes. That's not much, but at the same time, to be successful, so young people can learn French and mathematics, uh, is it enough or not enough?

Training

Abraham Chemaganish. Silas Nabinicaboo. Mary Guanish. Jimmy James Einish. Phil Einish
March 7, 2011
Kawawachikamach

"If we can push our children towards education, let's do it."

Mary Guanish, Naskapi

The self-determination of the First Peoples isn’t only an objective. It’s a necessity that starts with an educated youth. The Naskapi leaders truly believe this, and they dream of the day when key positions in their administration will be filled by professionals from their nation. The path to university is long and full of obstacles: temporary exile, life in the city, isolation, culture shock, loss of bearings, language, money… But there are some great success stories. The head nurse at the CLSC is a Naskapi. When will there be a doctor, a lawyer, a social worker, an accountant? The future lies in the hands of young people. Their contribution will be decisive for the future.

Transcript

Interview with Naskapi councillors. A picture of them accompanies the sound of their voices.

Interviewer

Could you give me a portrait of the situation of your community right now? Any aspect you want. The youth, the culture, the economic part... Just a portrait of what you find very significative for your community right now.

Woman

My youth! My youth! Because 75% of my population is young.

Interviewer

Oh yes! From a… at what?

Woman

From 50 and under. That’s my, my future. That’s, that’s what I think.

Interviewer

What do you see as a future for your community?

Woman

My future is… let’s say if we really can… really talk about my future if we can have my youth educated, more educated, so I can have a doctor, a lawyer,

Man

A nurse, another nurse…

Woman

Maybe another nurse! We have two nurses now, a third would be nice. A social worker…

Man

Accountant

Woman

An accountant, a consul… consultants to be Naskapis, that would be nice. That’s my future. That’s how I look at my youth now.

Man

Native one. All native.

Interviewer

Not have the need to hire somebody else from other places.

Woman

That’s it! That’s it! Like, if we, if we can push the kids towards education, go for it! It’s yours in the future, not ours.

Man

It’s their future.

Woman

It’s their future when you look at it, you know?

Interviewer

Are they interested in studies?

Man

Some of them are…

Woman

Some are, some are but they always want to follow the same, the same foot you know, all the same things! Like, like a teacher, a nurse…

Man

Carpenters…

Woman

Carpenters or whatever, you know what I mean? But they never go higher like to be a doctor, a lawyer. That would be nice.

Interviewer

Because, they don’t know much about these...?

Woman

It’s not that, it’s, I think maybe it’s, they, they find it too long maybe.

Man

Too long, yeah!

Woman

Especially, we have to go to university for that.

Interviewer

You have to go away, away, far away from home.

Woman

They have to go longer, away from home. That it’s, it’s too far.

Man

And sometimes, some of them don’t stay long because of the, the expenses. It’s too expensive.

Woman

The expenses. It’s very expensive to live… We always say it’s very expensive to live here up north regarding, let’s say food and things that we need. But it’s the same thing for them when they go down, it’s very expensive for them to pay…

Man

The rent

Woman

The rent…

Interviewer

You have a house to pay…

Woman

The rent, their books. Even the books these days are very expensive!

Interviewer

Medicine books are very expensive

Man

That’s it!

Woman

That’s it! But some of them have to pay for the books, they only have a certain amount that is given to them but the rest, let’s say, if they give you $200, let’s say $500…

Man

A month

Woman

A month like, for one, one session, and the other session you need more, you have to pay for it. It has to come off from your pocket and they reimburse you after.

Interviewer

So I understand that there are programs to finance the youth that want to go and study that far?

Woman

Yes, yes, yes there is!

Man

But sometimes it’s not enough.

Interviewer

OK!

Woman

Sometimes they have to live 2 or 3 together to, to pay the rent and to pay what they need, their personal needs.

Man

To share the costs. The cost of the rent.

Woman

Yeah! The electricity, sometimes the food. And all depends where you, where you go to school. You have to pay the metro or the bus on a monthly basis.

Interviewer

Yes, yes! These are all expenses. Are there some young persons that went away to study in the past years?

Woman

Oh yes! We have kids, we still have some going to school! We have kids going to school. And I really would appreciate if you would go and see the principal here to the school.

Interviewer

We met him.

Woman

Yeah, you already met him? Good! He’s the best person to tell you how many kids we have outside. How many are in university, how many are, we have in Cégep level. He has all that.

Interviewer

The Cégep, where do they go? In Sept-Îles?

Woman

No, no, no, they have to go in Montreal or Ottawa or in, somewhere in Ontario.

Man

Ontario. Some of them are in Quebec.

Interviewer

Because of the English language?

Woman

Yes. That’s it, yes!

Interviewer

They have to go much far away because of the English.

Woman

Yeah.

Interviewer

And these young people that went away to study, do they succeed in their studies?

Woman

Yes, some of them succeed.

Man

Some of them succeed, yes. Some of them succeed.

Interviewer

And when they get their paper, their diploma, do they come back in the community?

Woman

Yeah, yeah, we have a nurse here that succeeded, and she works at the CLSC and now she is the head of the programs.

Man

A first leader nurse. A Naskapi. Native nurse.

Everything Is Connected

Lucien Ottawa
March 30, 2011
Manawan

"It seems like parents are abandoning their responsibilities and expect the school to take over."

Lucien Ottawa, Nehirowisiw

Everything is connected. School, home, the territory. Parents, teachers, the community. Family, values, culture and identity. The territory’s a school, school’s a family, the house is a classroom. Transmission is a wealth, education is a shared responsibility. Whatever your history or your situation, no one can give up. Because everything is connected: parents, teachers, the community, the nation, and at the centre of the circle, the children, bearers of the future.

Transcript

Tight close-up on Lucien Ottawa sitting in an office chair. He’s wearing a yellow shirt and glasses. Behind him, sheets and notes are posted on the wall and work documents are placed on a desk.

Interviewer

Do young people still go with their families on the territory?

Lucien Ottawa

Uh... It was part of the, uh.... of the school calendar that was established more than fifteen-twenty years ago. They called them cultural weeks. There was a week in the fall and a week in the spring. And at the beginning of that program, a lot of families went to the territory. But today, it seems like it's more and more neglected.

Interviewer

Is the school taking on a lot of responsibility regarding cultural transmission that... that families once had or...?

Lucien Ottawa

Well, I wouldn't really say that, uh, but, uh.... I would say that, that they’re taking more responsibility regarding the teaching of values.

Interviewer

Yes.

Lucien Ottawa

Yes. It seems like parents are passing on their responsibilities to the school.

Interviewer

Yes.

Lucien Ottawa

While they... it’s the parents who should be transmitting their... the values, the family values within their home, as they say. It's kind of the perception that... we have... we see here. It seems like parents want to... give up their responsibilities; to leave that up to the school. That's what... uh, that might, I don't know... How could I say? Which could perhaps lead to a loss of accountibility.

Interviewer

Do you know why this is happening?

Lucien Ottawa

Well, uh... It's kind of the perception that parents, when we... we sent their children to residential schools. Because, uh, those responsible for the... the Department of Indian Affairs, told parents, “We’ll take care of your children....”. You won’t have... You won’t have anything to ...”. So, it's kind of... It's kind of following the development of things right now. Because if, uh... When the youth were sent to residential schools, well, they were almost torn away from their family nucleus. And it was the leaders of the ministries and churches who said, “Well, don't take care of your children. We'll take care of them.” So, today, it's like the... the repercussions of that, which are being felt in the communities. And parents today tend to relinquish their responsibilities to schools, at the educational level.

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Dropping Out Starts at a Young Age

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