“About 60 per cent of Indigenous students graduate Grade 12 within five years of starting Grade 10, compared to 90 per cent of non-Indigenous students,” saidClemett went on to say this potentially leaves up to 40 per cent of Saskatchewan’s Indigenous students “significantly disadvantaged.
In the performance audit of the Ministry of Education, as it relates to Indigenous students, Clemett said the ministry needs to “expand measures and targets it sets for Indigenous student academic achievement beyond graduation rates.” There is also a requirement for “enhanced reporting from school divisions on Indigenous student success” and the ministry must “determine actions to address root causes of underperforming measures related to Indigenous student success.
Five policy goals are set out in the framework but the auditor found “none of the goals within the Framework indicated how or when the ministry plans to measure its success.” Matt Love, NDP MLA, focused on the “measurable goals” emphasized by the auditor above “on-time graduation rates.” He stressed having these measures in place before Grade 7, but also focusing on attendance, numeracy and literacy early and often to help students.The Government of Saskatchewan said it “accepts the Provincial Auditor’s report and appreciates the effort and detail the Office of the Provincial Auditor put into its review.