The University of British Columbia is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its Indigenous teacher program.
The program is designed for Indigenous students wanting to become teachers so they can use their knowledge, identity and cultural heritage, and prepares persons of Indigenous ancestry to be effective educators in B.C.
Métis educator Bailey Johnson said she was inspired to enter the program as her dad was always involved in education.
“Growing up, it was kind of in the back of my head and I didn’t actually realize there was an Indigenous teacher education program until I started university,” she told Global News.
“And I think once that came into my awareness, I made the immediate switch and it was exactly what I needed and I felt like it fit in so much with my identity. And it’s really been the best thing that I’ve done to date so far.”
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Johnson said B.C.’s education system is missing two crucial components of …