Students from Walpole Island First Nation will soon be losing access to a support initiative due to delays in government funding.
The P.A.C.E. (Partnership, Achievement, Cultural Awareness & Engagement) Program, which supports the success of students experiencing various difficulties, will no longer be provided at Wallaceburg District Secondary School and Bkejwanong Kinomaagewgamig, effective March 28.
The program, which the federal government funds through “Jordan’s Principle,” was established by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to ensure First Nations children do not face gaps, delays, or denials in accessing government services because of their identity as First Nations children.
According to a social media post by program provider P.A.C.E. Inc., funding applications for Jordan’s Principle are backlogged and are still processing requests for the 2024-25 fiscal year. There is currently no estimate as to when Jordan’s Principle will begin reviewing applications for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
“The Walpole Island First Nation (WIFN) and WIFN Board of Education made commendable efforts to secure funding to sustain the P.A.C.E. Program through the end of the school year; unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful,” P.A.C.E. Inc. said in its post.
While there remains a possibility for future approval of the funding application, P.A.C.E. Inc. said the program’s future remains uncertain.
“Should funding be secured, the resumption of programming will depend on the employment status of the program staff,” the organization said.
For more information about how the P.A.C.E. Program supports local First Nations students, click here.
