The Alberta government will put up $5.3 million over the next three years to guide educators on how to teach grade-school students about First Nations, Metis and Inuit history.
Teachers will also learn how to explain residential schools — one of the darkest chapters in Canadian history.
READ MORE: New Heritage Minute highlights shame of Canada’s residential schools
Education Minister David Eggen says understanding First Nations history is key to understanding Canadian history.
He also says there are, in his words, “wounds we need to heal” when it comes to residential schools.
The schools separated indigenous children from their parents, language and culture and students were physically, emotionally and sexually abused.
“We can’t know where we’re going until we know where we’ve been, so this enhancement to curriculum will serve to enrich the knowledge and understanding of current and future generations of Albertans,” Eggen said.
READ MORE: Alberta announces sweeping 6-year overhaul of school curricula at cost of $64M
Alberta will work with the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to develop a program for teachers over the next three years.
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