Africentric Education Successful in Toronto

Africentric Education Successful in Toronto

By Sloane Beggs

caribweekly.com

The past week has seen a controversy on black-focused schools unfold in the media, and Ontario’s Premier has rejected the idea. Part three of Carib Weekly’s four-part Back to School series takes a look at the Africentric Summer Institute – a pilot program that ran successfully in Toronto this summer.

Lloyd McKell, the Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB) new head of Student and Community Equity is charged with the job of ensuring equity and human rights remain a priority at the Board. A feat that seems a little more difficult, after a week in which Ontario’s Premier, Dalton McGuinty, has been quoted as saying he’s “not comfortable with the concept” of McKell’s suggestion of a black-focused school being piloted in Ontario.

Despite McGuinty’s blind rejection, the ‘proof is in the pudding’ and a pilot program developed by the TDSB demonstrates that africentric learning can be tremendously beneficial. For six weeks this summer, 84 Toronto District School Board students in the Jane and Finch area had the opportunity to take part in the Africentric Summer Institute (ASI). Designed for African-Canadian students in Grades 1 – 5, the goal of the institute was to create a positive, nurturing learning experience for students that enables them to improve academically, enhance their self-identity, and to gain leadership skills that will provide them with the self-confidence to become successful adults.

African heritage activities supported numeracy and literacy skills, and students were also provided with opportunities during the afternoon sessions to better understand their own cultural roots by focusing on African Studies in the arts, heritage, and culture as well as leadership skills.

"This program has had great community support and involvement and has received very positive feedback from students, parents, and the community. Parent involvement has been critical to the success of this program," said Stephanie Payne, TDSB Trustee in a press release. “The African Summer Institute engaged our students by using traditional academics with African studies that connected with the participating students.”

The issue of africentric education in Toronto’s schools is important. McGuinty’s rejection of a black-focused school has angered the black community across the Province, and at the very least the Premier should take a look at the success of the Africentric Summer Institute to see whether it could be introduced Province-wide or incorporated into the regular school curriculum.

The TDSB plans to do further research to explore different enhancements and improvements to the program moving forward. Carib Weekly will be watching and reporting on developments.

To voice your opinion on this matter to Ontario’s Premier, Dalton McGuinty, send an email to his office at Dalton.McGuinty@premier.gov.on.ca

Webmaster's Note: The model developed over the 2005 summer was the Africentric Summer Institute. Africentric Summer Institute which served 84 students in grades 1-5 from schools in the Jane-Finch community. The site administrator for the Africentric Summer Institute was Gary Pieters, who is also the creator of this website.