Universities open up to aboriginal students

By Karen Seidman. With too few aboriginal students opting for a university education, the country's universities are launching a new online tool to make it easier for aboriginal students to succeed in obtaining a higher education. The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada is launching an online directory of programs and services on Thursday to help aboriginal youth access the information they need to go to university. While this won't quell the growing grassroots Idle No More campaign that continues to highlight a tumultuous relationship between governments and Canada's First Nations, it was a little glimmer of welcome news locally at the Kahnawake reserve.
"It sounds positive," said Chief Kenneth McComber of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake. "Education is a very big issue and something online would be helpful."
AUCC president Paul Davidson said the organization has made it a priority to "increase access and success for aboriginal students."
Aboriginal youth are one of the fastest-growing segments of the Canadian population. There are more than 560,000 aboriginals under the age of 25 across Canada, yet the university completion rate for the aboriginal population is eight per cent - about a third of the national average. Read more...