Five-year MOU will see organizations partnering to advance Indigenous education opportunities in New Brunswick, actions around reconciliation

SACKVILLE, NB and FREDERICTON, NB — A new partnership agreement between Mount Allison University and Three Nations Education Group Inc. (TNEGI) will seek to enrich and transform educational opportunities and learning for First Nations students in New Brunswick and beyond.

The future Institute for Transformational Education will be headed by the Three Nations Education Group Inc., Mount Allison University, and the university research group, Research Partnerships for Education and Community Engagement (R-PEACE). The newly-signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will seek to create a space for partners to plan, develop, and implement strategies to better support education and community-based projects for Indigenous youth from kindergarten to post-secondary across the province.

“Mount Allison is honoured to begin this new partnership with the Three Nations Education Group through the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding,” says University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jean-Paul Boudreau. “As an institution, we recognize that reconciliation can only be truly achieved in partnership with our First Nations communities. I look forward to seeing the creation of the Institute as well as future projects and initiatives from this collaboration.”

“We have created a partnership with Mount Allison University and with unanimous support from our three First Nation Chiefs and communities,” says Warren Tremblay, Executive Director of the Three Nations Education Group Inc. “Success rates of our students will dramatically increase as a result in the coming years.”

The Institute’s mandate, in part, seeks to answer the Calls to Action, as set out by Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 2015 report. The MOU will see educators and community groups from across the province come together to explore educational opportunities, including experiential learning and community-based partnerships, for Indigenous students. Programs will be developed with virtual as well as in-person components to ensure accessibility within the communities and their schools.

The current partnership includes Mount Allison, R-PEACE, and the Indigenous communities of Tobique, Elsipogtog, and Esgenoopetitj First Nations, who are all part of the TNEGI, with the support of Indigenous Services Canada. All three communities have Indigenous-led schools in their communities, up to Grade 8. High school students still need to leave their communities for schooling. The MOU will seek to engage with educators in these communities and help support them in providing more opportunities for Indigenous youth.

The Institute for Transformational Education was officially launched today, Nov. 5, online. Watch the premiere video at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcDfqSnoMNW4mc-WQhJiA-g

About Three Nations Education Group Inc. (TNEGI)

Three Nations Education Group Inc. (TNEGI) was formed in 2009 out of the existing MAWIW Tribal Council alliance between Esgenoopetitj, Tobique, and Elsipogtog First Nations. Prior to the establishment of TNEGI, the Directors of Education from each community met regularly to share their experiences in education and the mutual challenges facing their communities and schools.

Since it was created, TNEGI has assumed management of the K4 Transition to Kindergarten Initiative and begun administering literacy, numeracy, and school supports through the First Nation Student Success Program. TNEGI has also made connections with numerous education organizations and government agencies, as well as post-secondary institutions and private companies, in its efforts to improve education service delivery through integrated partnerships.

Currently, TNEGI is focused on building its capacity to deliver second and third level educational services for the betterment of its communities and schools. Its recently released strategic plan outlines the Education Authority’s priorities and its vision for the future (tnegi.org)

About R-PEACE at Mount Allison University

Formed in 2018 at Mount Allison University, the Research Partnerships for Education and Community Engagement’s (R-PEACE) vision is for an integrated learning community. It researches and develops pedagogical initiatives for engaged learning through the creation of meaningful connections between Mount Allison and communities in the region. R-PEACE seeks to support students’ development of themselves as engaged citizens of their communities. (rpeace.org)

About Mount Allison University

Located in Sackville, New Brunswick, Mount Allison University has been ranked the top undergraduate university in the country by Maclean’s magazine more times than any other university (22 times in the past 30 years). With degrees in Arts, Science, Commerce, Fine Arts, and Music, the University provides a flexible liberal arts and sciences education that prepares students for any career path. Students can create a unique degree that matches their interests and career goals from the more than 45 programs offered. The small class difference can also be found across campus with an average student to faculty ratio of 16:1. Mount Allison prides itself on providing a high-quality academic experience, combined with a variety of hands-on learning opportunities in a close-knit community. Students come from more than 50 countries around the world to make up a diverse, creative, and talented student body of approximately 2,300 students. (mta.ca)