$1.8 million to Improve Literacy of African Nova Scotian Students

African Nova Scotia students will benefit from a $1.8 million investment to improve literacy and raise the overall achievement of black learners.

Energy Minister Bill Dooks, on behalf of Education Minister Karen Casey, today, July 13, announced funding for the Africentric Learning Institute and the creation of an African Nova Scotian Education Foundation.

"These investments will support students, parents and communities to implement tutoring, student support programs and other initiatives to help more African Nova Scotians succeed in school," said Mr. Dooks.

The minister announced the funding during a leadership and management conference for African Nova Scotian educators in North Preston.

The Africentric Learning Institute will receive $1.1 million to expand research into effective educational strategies, professional development, policy, curriculum development, leadership programs, and other issues that impact black learners in Nova Scotia.

The province is also establishing the African Nova Scotian Education Foundation with a one-time investment of $500,000. The Foundation, which will have charitable society status, will focus on raising funds that will be used to improve literacy and numeracy in the black community.

"I invite businesses and individuals in the wider community to take on the challenge and donate generously to this cause," said Mr. Dooks.

Both investments represent the final installments on the province's $4.1 million, four-year commitment to implement all the recommendations of the Black Learners Advisory Committee (BLAC) Report: Redressing Inequality - Empowering Black Learners.

"We have reached a milestone today in terms of implementing all the recommendations of the BLAC report," said Charles Sheppard, chairman of the Council on African Canadian Education. "We have laid the ground work for a better educational system."

The Black Learners Advisory Committee report examined the barriers facing African Nova Scotians students in the public education system. It contained a total of 46 individual recommendations to increase educational opportunities and improve achievement of black students.

The Department of Education will also provide school boards with an additional $200,000 to support race relations, cross-cultural understanding, and human rights initiatives, as recommended by the report.