ONABSE 2020 Provincial Conference and AGM

My presentation will outline a comprehensive, provincial education framework developed by The African Canadian Services Branch within the NS Department of Education & Early Childhood Education. This framework is focused on impactful initiatives that will benefit the well-being and academic achievement of the 7,490 self-identified students of African ancestry in Nova Scotia. Our education framework consists of 5 fundamental pillars that drive our strategies: "Knowing them as they are known", authentic self-identification, empowering parents & families, educational programming and equitable access & involvement for ANS support staff. We will use a Sankofa-based theme to "look back as we move forward" - this includes a review of the historic 1994 BLAC report, Enid Lee's "Reality Check" and Avis Glaze's recent "Raise The Bar" (an evaluation of the entire education system in NS). I will also highlight where our Black students are now (achievement gap) and where we would like them to be in the near future. Nova Scotia is the only province in Canada that has a 'branch' in the Department of Education (20+ years) that is tasked with supporting Black students in the province. Nova Scotia is also the province with the largest Black populations whose roots go back 300 years (North Preston, East Preston, Hammonds Plains, Lincolnville, Sunnyville, Greenville, Lucasville, Birchtown, Weymouth Falls, Danvers, Beechville, Truro, Amherst, Gibson Woods...).