Press Release
Aboriginal post-secondary students across the province will benefit from new bursaries and enhanced programs and services.
The Ontario government has created a bursary program to help aboriginal students in financial need attend college, university, or aboriginal post-secondary institutions in the province.
The government also is funding a range of aboriginal student support services, including career counselling, mentoring, and elders in residence—a program enabling elders to share their wisdom and experience with students.
The government’s efforts are aimed at ensuring more aboriginal students pursue and succeed in post-secondary education.
“By helping aboriginal students get the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, we can help them reach their full potential, and we can build the highly-skilled workforce we need to make our province more competitive and ensure that all Ontarians prosper,” said Training, Colleges and Universities minister John Milloy.
“This funding will create opportunities, support services, and remove barriers for aboriginal students to pursue post-secondary education,” added Aboriginal Affairs minister Chris Bentley.
“It will help to close the education gap that exists between aboriginal and non-aboriginal students, and provide greater success and opportunities for future generations of aboriginal students,” he remarked.
“Ontario universities are strongly committed and engaged in ensuring the success of aboriginal students, and we welcome initiatives like this one which help to advance this goal,” said Bonnie Patterson, president and CEO of the Council of Ontario Universities.
“We look forward to continuing our work with the Ontario government in improving aboriginal peoples’ access to, participation in, and completion of post-secondary education,” she added.
“Ontario’s colleges congratulate the government for this important announcement,” echoed Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario.
“This will help greater numbers of aboriginal students to pursue higher education and to fulfill their ambitions,” she noted.
The government is investing $26.4 million in aboriginal post-secondary education in 2009-10.
There are nine aboriginal post-secondary institutions in Ontario.
About 11,000 aboriginal students were enrolled in Ontario post-secondary institutions last year.
