YORKTON – The Good Spirit School Division has received a $5000 grant from the provincial government to support truth and reconciliation education in the province.
“The Government of Saskatchewan is providing approximately $140,000 in grants to advance truth and reconciliation education in the province,” according to a press release from the Ministry of Education.
Yorkton This Week spoke with Quinton Robertson, Director of Education for the GSSD.
“It will impact all of our schools,” said Robertson of the grant.
Robertson said that, moving forward, the school division will start an indigenous advisory committee with representatives from first nations in the area for the purpose of guiding the GSSD along the path of reconciliation; making sure things are culturally appropriate and that the school division hears ideas and concerns from the committee.
“Nothing about them, without them,” said Robertson.
“Ultimately, down the road, we’d like to have an individual from the advisory committee sitting on our board,” said Robertson, adding, “we want something long lasting.”
Robertson said the first meeting will be held on the 17th of March, adding that the GSSD will meet with the committee five or six times a year.
“The first thing we want to bring past the committee is treaty recognition,” said Robertson.
“Each of the 27 provincial school divisions, one partnership school and one qualified independent school will receive up to $5,000 in funding to collaborate with local Indigenous communities and organizations in order to plan and implement actions that support reconciliation throughout the 2021-22 school year,” as noted in the press release.
