Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Fort Smith (May 06/01) - The South Slave Metis Tribal Council is supporting a tutoring project for Metis children in kindergarten to Grade 12 in the upcoming school year.

The council has transferred $36,000 for the project to its educational and cultural arm, the NWT Metis Cultural Institute.

"South Slave Metis parents, and their organizations, are very concerned about the success of their children in the school system in the region," said council president Rob Tordiff.

The concern was most recently expressed at a South Slave Metis human resources strategy meeting in Fort Smith on April 9.

"While many of us have succeeded in the system, too many clearly have not," Tordiff said.

"Lack of the basic skills associated with high school graduation is one of the biggest obstacles facing Metis seeking employment, training and career development in the South Slave region."

The institute will research, develop and implement a pilot project to provide culturally sensitive tutoring for Metis students in Fort Smith and Fort Resolution, evaluate the efforts and research sources for continuing funding.

Consultations have begun with educators and parents in the two communities.

Funding comes from the council's training fund, which receives contributions from the federal government.