More money just a start

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 28, 1998 - AG

| Aboriginal students get help

eT a

Ser ipe ikon oan

ACROSS B.C. only 31 per
cent of aboriginal students
who start grade eight finish
grade 12, Those nunibers
probably hold truc in Ter-
race as well, says Kenn
Whyte, the man in charge of
aboriginal instruction for the
Coast Mountain school dis-
trict.

“The statistics are not
great for First Nations stu-
dents,”’ he says.

Approximately one-

* quarter — 2,000 — students

in =the = Terrace/Kitimat
school district are
aboriginal. In order to im-
prove their chances of grad-
uation, the education minis-
try provides money for lan-
guage and cultural programs
with a First Nations empha-
sis. That money works out
to about $1,000 extra per
native student, says Whyte.

Money is also spent on ex-
tra counselling and home
support.

This extra level of pro-
grams hasn’t been around
for very long. Whyte’s posi-
tion and the First Nations

Education Centre have only ~

been around for about a year
and a half, :

“The effect won't be seen
for a long time probably,”
says Whyte. And he adds,
enough time hasn’t gone by
yet to collect relevant data
on students. ;

In spite of the extra money
for First Nations programs,
Whyte says a lot more is
needed. For example, native
parents and aboriginal com-
munities have to get more
involved in their children’s
schooling,

That’s working to a de-
gree. For example, about
200 children and parents
showed up for a recent First
Nations games night at
Clarence Michiel.

But the problem is deeper
than the school district alone
can fix. Parents of native
children often suffer from

poverty, unemployment,
alienation, hurt and anger,
says Whyte... - —

“These are hige sacietal

"} problems and they’re not

going to be solved over-
night.”

In a_ recently released
1995/96 report on the edu-

cation ministry, findings
show that poverty is one of
the strongest predictors of
student performance,
‘School performance ap-
pears to decrease as poverty
rates itcrease,’’ says the
report. And there’s a direct
link between how many
people in the school’s area
receive income support and
the percentage of students
who continue to  post-

secondary education.
Among students in identi-

Kenn Whyte

“Kids don’t drop
out of school if
they’re excited and

happy.”

fiable minorities, the educa-
tion mainistry found
aboriginal students had the
worst high school pradu-
ation rates - 31 per cent.

Fifty-seven per cent of
Hindi students _ finished
grade 12, 61 per cent of
Spanish and 66 per cent of
English students, The com-
pletion rate for Vietnamese
students was 71 per cent, 75
per cent for Italian, ‘78 per
cent for French and Punjabi
and 89 per cent for Chinese
students,

In order to improve the
graduation... rate” for

aboriginal ‘stidentst"Wihyte™playg

wants a better commitment
from the education ministry.
It recently reviewed the
money its spending on First
Nations programs, and the
results of that review

haven’t been revealed yet,
he says.

‘Phere was some rum-
bling that targeted monies
would go, but we convinced
them that was fairly
ludicrous,’’ he said.

He wants more leadership
from the provincial govern-

ment, confirming that
aboriginal education is a
strong priority.

Since aboriginal students
make up one quarter of the
school’s population, Whyte
would {ike to see that
reflected in teacher num-
bers. Having positive role
models is important, he
points out.

But right now there’s only
about 10 or 11 First Nations
people employed as
counselors or teachers, out
of a school district work
force of 500,

“One fiftieth of the work-
force — how can you
measure its effect on the
system?”' asks Whyte.

There isn’t a pool of
qualified native teachers to
draw from though, he says.
So he'd like to see a training
program for First Nations
teachers based in the dis-
trict.

“*We’re exploring the pos-
sibility of a teacher training
program here,”’ he says. He
says a similar program in
Prince Rupert has had suc-
cess.

Another factor of the suc-
cess of First Nations pro-
grams is acceptance by the
non-native community.

‘There's overall good ac-
ceplance,’” he says. ‘‘We’re
doing better than I thought
we would.””

There’s still misinforma-
tion in the community
though, that native people
are lazy and have everything
given to them.

“You still get that,” he
says.

And every time the Jand
claims issue comes up in the
news, children fight their
’ parent's ‘-battles on the

hi

Teachers are helping to
make a difference, but even
more work is needed,

“Kids don’t drop out of
school if they’re excited and
happy,’’ says Whyte.

Girls smarter than boys |

WHICH STUDENTS are
doing well, which are not
and the explanations for it
all are available in the edu-
cation ministry’s 1995/96
annual report.

Here are some highlights
from that report.

@ 71 per cent of students
complete school in a normal
Grade 8 to Grade 12 fash-
ion.

W@ However, 85 per cent of
students who start school
complete grade 12 at some
point, whether it’s through
adult basic education or
other alternative programs.

m@ «Unemployment rates
are twice as high for young
adults who have not gradu-
ated from high school, com-
pared to praduates — 25 per
cent unemployment com-
pated to 13 per cent among

high school graduates in

1996,

Wi 43 per cent of graduates
were eligible for university
in 1995/96, compared to 36
per cent in 1989/90.

W@ More female students
than male students are
eligible for university — 47
per cent versus 39 per cent.

@ Special education en-
roliment has more than
doubled over the last 10
years. Students with special
necds now make up about
10 per cent of the student
population.

Half have mild to severe
learning or behavioural dis-
abilities and one third are
classified as gifted. How-
ever, the ministry has not
collected data about the per-
formance of students with
special needs.

Mm About 15 per cent of
Students do ot speak
English as their primary lan-
guage at home.

Mi Female students have
higher overall grades than
male studenis —- an average
high schoo! GPA or. 3.0
versus 2.8 for males.

They also receive more

‘ly to

scholarships, and are more
likely to complete high
school in the traditional
Grade 8 to Grade 12 fashion
— 73 per cent versus 64 per
cent,

Bi The gender gap in math
and science participation
rates has narrowed. But fe-
male students are more like-
avoid math and
physics.

More than twice as many
male graduates took applied
courses, while female grads
significantly outnumbered

male grads in languages,
humanitics and life skills
courses,

Wi In languages and home
economics, female teachers
are in the vast majority,
while male teachers domi-
nate subjects such as math,
Science, computer education
and industrial education.

In 1995/96 ‘the educa-
tion ministry gave $3.4 bil-
lion to BC’s school districts.

i It costs about $75,000
to school a child from kin-
dezgarien to graduation,

FIRST NATIONS school principal
Walsh looks on as grade 12 student Keanne Stuart
Tait drums a welcome song. Drummers opened a
workshop last week at the First Nations Education
Centre, designed to teach students about native jus-
tice. The program raises awareness of native issues,

‘ we

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Recently my wife five year numbers and
returned from a trip further figures if
down south and available. Be sure to take
mentioned that she had into account the annual
watched a program in simple retums to ensure
which an individual that one lucky year
suggested that mutual doesn’t skew the results,
funds that are offered by - Assess how much risk
the banks generally don't was taken to achieve a
measure up because the particular return, This is
banks haven’! been in the measured by the standard
mutual fund business that deviation of a fund's
long, All [have to say to returns, [f XYZ fund and
thatis thatis WRONGH! ABC fund both achieved

To state in general a return of 10% bul XYZ
terms that any fund may fund took considerably
be under performance less risk to achieve that
because of who sponsors return which fund has the
the fund, whether it is a better performance,
load fund or a no-load - Quartile ranking which
fund, whether it is judges how the return of
offered by an insurance a particular fund has
company, bank, credit compared to its peer
union or sold by a group of funds with
specific type of sales similar investment
force is misleading. objectives.

So here is the straight - Use of the capital assct
scoop on what to look for pricing, model which will
when researching mutual help determine whether
funds for your portfolio. any particular fund
1} Make sure that the performed better than its
particular fund you're associated market indices
researching fits your taking risk (beta) and the'
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is compatible with the _ bill rate) into consideration.
rest of your portfolio. An - Tax efficiency which
equily growth) fund will tracks the percentage of a
certainly be an under fund’s return the taxable
performer for someone investor gets to keep.
who is looking for a Remember its what you
steady income. get to put in your pocket
2.) How is the fund after daxes are paid that

’ delivered? For example counts.

ifthe investment advisor - Some of the other
will come to your home, details you may want to
or the ability to access know are the funds alpha
your account via the and beta. You may also
interne! may be want to see how a
important considerations, number of different funds
Loads and fees may nol compare using the Shape
be important to any or Treynow measure
particular investor which measures:
provided the investor specifically the
sees value for their relationship between a
investment. funds rate of returm and
3.) Return performance. the risk taken to achieve
This is where things get that return and puts it
interesting! into a format into which
In comparing returns I similar funds can .be
can show you bank compared directly.
funds that out perform The point here is that
funds from some of the there are many ways to
most respected names in judge a fund's past
the mutual fund industry. performance and

There are funds offered different measurements .

by insurance companies, are more important than
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> funds as well as funds-..investor’s. situationn Oneut
- offered by..a.captive sales . fund. .may. .nank. quite.

force amd broker that favorable by one measure
have out performed bank and quite poorly in
funds. My point is this; another. In addition,
each fund should be remember all these
judged on its measurements tell of past

erformance not on who performance and are not
it is attached to. indicative of future

Following are some of performances. When in
the ways you can judge a doubt, ask your financial
fund's past performance professional which
and its management. measures may affect your
- Look at average annual situation and how,
compound returns over -David Madsen, CIM, CFP,
all periods, one through FCSI

eee

“Professional
Investment
Advice”

Te arrange an appointment
please call

In Terrace 635-2261 /' In Kitimat 6325194

Scotiabank §

David B, Madsen,
CIM, CFP, Fés|

increase, .

RITISH COLUMBLA's road safety program is starting to
show results. BC drivers are slowing down. There were

29 fewer deaths and 1,500 fewer injuries on BC toads last year
than in 1996, and the average costs of ICBC claims declined.
Because of that progress, there will be no increase in ICBC
rates In 1998. It’s the third consecutive year without an

BCc’S

ROAD SAFETY. RESULTS KEY TO. 4998 RATE

_for years to come.

DRIVE TO

The 1998 ICBC rate freeze — just one of the benefits of
cracking down on dangerous driving.
For an information package, call 1 800 663-ICBC.

FREEZE.

The way we drive is the key factor in determining BC’s
insurance rates. If we continue to drive more carefully, we
can reduce crashes, save lives and help keep our rates affordable

SAVE LIVES