The Ministry of Education and Child Care has released a report on First Nation teacher recruitment and retention. This initiative was identified through a joint working group with the ministry, the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC), the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA), and the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills (PSFS). The goals of this initiative are to:

• Better understand school district recruitment and retention practices specific to First Nations teachers, including the use of BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner Special Programs for preferential hiring.
• Gain insights into the experiences of First Nations teachers related to recruitment and retention.

Engagement with school districts and First Nation teachers occurred in the spring of 2024 and included a survey sent to all school districts, as well as interviews and focus groups with human resources staff and First Nation teachers in 10 districts from across the province. Thank you to all the districts that took part in this project.

The ministry and FNESC are currently exploring opportunities to use the report findings to inform resources to support districts with recruitment and retention of First Nation teachers.

If you have any questions or feedback on this initiative, please contact Meghan Patrucco, Policy Analyst, Workforce Development at Meghan.Patrucco@gov.bc.ca.

Background: Since 2022, the ministry, FNESC, IAHLA, and PSFS have been collaborating through a joint working group to co-develop strategies to support the training, recruitment and retention of First Nation teachers. This work aligns with Action 4.2 of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan.