Aboriginal Learner Experiences and Outcomes in British Columbia’s Public Post-Secondary System

Oct 15, 2026

Report examines experiences and outcomes of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal domestic learners in British Columbia’s public schools and public post-secondary institutions. Developed with First Nations and Indigenous education and training partners, it frames the analysis as a system snapshot rather than individual student review. The background summarizes the Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Policy Framework and action plan, while the current context notes data from the pre-COVID period and highlights potential pandemic-related impacts to be addressed in later reports.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages57

Reading Time2 h 24 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

About this Report

Background

Goal and Policy Framework

Current Context

Section 1: Brief Overview of the Public Post-Secondary System in British Columbia

Aboriginal Self-Identification in the K-12 and Post-Secondary Systems

BC Population Demographics and the Impact on Public Post-Secondary Enrolment

Section 2: K-12 Completions and Transitions

K-12 Certificates of Graduation

K-12 Completions

Public Post-Secondary Transitions

Section 3: Aboriginal Learners in the British Columbia Public Post-Secondary System

Number of Learners

Student Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs)

Former Youth in Care in Public Post-Secondary

􀀞 􀀝 􀀜 􀀛􀀚 􀀛􀀙 􀀘 􀀗 􀀕 􀀔 􀀘 􀀜 􀀙 􀀔 􀀜 􀀓􀀛􀀙 􀀒 􀀜 􀀛􀀑􀀛􀀓 􀀐 􀀏 􀀝 􀀗􀀎 􀀍 􀀞 􀀛􀀘 􀀌􀀓 􀀋 􀀎 􀀞 􀀗􀀛􀀊 􀀋 􀀝 􀀓 􀀑􀀉􀀈 􀀔 􀀊􀀝 􀀙 􀀇 􀀘 􀀜 􀀆 􀀈 􀀆 􀀓 􀀑􀀔 􀀍 􀀞 􀀝 􀀞 􀀜􀀛 􀀙􀀘􀀙􀀗 􀀖 􀀕􀀔 􀀕􀀜􀀛􀀓􀀒 􀀑 􀀐 􀀏 􀀎􀀍􀀔 􀀌􀀋 􀀏 􀀊􀀏 􀀞 􀀌􀀍􀀛􀀕􀀑 􀀔 􀀍􀀔 􀀏 􀀉􀀈􀀕􀀇􀀇􀀜 􀀆􀀓􀀍􀀕􀀔 􀀕􀀔 􀀝 With gratitude and respect we would like to acknowledge the traditional keepers of the land on which our offices are located, the Lekwungen Peoples, known today as the Songhees andEsquimalt Nations, and the Tseil-wa-tulth, Musqueam and Squamish Nations. We are grateful for their continued stewardship of this beautiful territory. We would also like to acknowledge the many Nations on whose traditional territories the 25 BC public post-secondary institutions are located. We want to acknowledge our gratitude for the guidance and teachings that have been shared with us by the many First Nations, Métis and Inuit partners and communities throughout the province. Table of Contents Introduction 1 Section 1: Brief Overview of the Public Post-Secondary System in British Columbia4 Aboriginal Self-Identification in the K-12 and Post-Secondary Systems4 BC Population Demographics and the Impact on Public Post-Secondary Enrolment 6 Section 2: K-12 Completions and Transitions 9 K-12 Certificates of Graduation 9 K-12 Completions 10 Public Post-Secondary Transitions 12 Section 3: Aboriginal Learners in the British Columbia Public Post-Secondary System 17 Number of Learners 17 Student Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) 18 Former Youth in Care in Public Post-Secondary 22 Section 4: Characteristics of Aboriginal Learners in Public Post-Secondary in British Columbia 24 Aboriginal Learners by Identity Group 27 Section 5: Aboriginal Learner Outcomes 30 Credentials 30 First Year Retention/Completion Rate 33 Aboriginal New Teacher Certifications 34 Student Outcomes Surveys 36 Education and Employment Outcomes in British Columbia41 Conclusion42 Appendix A: Overview of the Public Post-Secondary System in British Columbia46 Appendix B: Classification of Instructional Programs50 Appendix C: Statistics Canada Census Program Overview and Definitions 52 Introduction About this Report Developed in collaboration with the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC), the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA), Métis Nation BC (MNBC), and by a working group of the Indigenous Post-Secondary Education and Training Partners, this report is the second of its kind.1 This report compares the experiences and outcomes of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal domestic learners attending public schools and public post-secondary institutions in British Columbia. This report is intended to be a snapshot of public post-secondary as a system, rather than a reflection of the individual students. Background The Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Policy Framework and Action Plan (Aboriginal Policy Framework) was released in 2012 and outlines a plan for improving post-secondary opportunities and outcomes for First Nations, Métis and Inuit. Consistent with commitments made in the New Relationship document, Transformative Change Accord, and Métis Nation Relationship Accord, the Aboriginal Policy Framework was developed by a working group of British Columbia’s Indigenous2 Post-Secondary Education and Training Partners, including FNESC, IAHLA, MNBC, the British Columbia Aboriginal Training Employment Alliance Members, BC Colleges, BC Association of Universities and Institutes, the Research Universities’ Council of British Columbia and the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training (AEST). The Indigenous PostSecondary Education and Training Partners continue to monitor and support the implementation of the Aboriginal Policy Framework. Goal 5 of the original Aboriginal Policy Framework,“Continuous improvement is based on research, datatracking and sharing of leading practices,” has the following objective: “Governments, Aboriginal institutes and public post-secondary institutions make evidence-based decisi

FAQs

What is the purpose of this report?

It compares the experiences and outcomes of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal domestic learners in public schools and public post-secondary institutions in British Columbia, focusing on the system level rather than individual students.

Who collaborated to develop the report?

The report was developed in collaboration with FNESC, IAHLA, Métis Nation BC (MNBC), and a working group of Indigenous Post-Secondary Education and Training Partners.

Why does the report note that results may not reflect current experiences?

The data come from a timeframe before the COVID-19 pandemic, so the report may not capture pandemic-driven shifts such as online delivery and effects on in-person learning.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Riley West