Cowichan Tribes voting on historic new Education Law

First Nation would govern K-12 systemCowichan Tribes is moving forward with a historic step in reclaiming authority over the education of Quw’utsun smun’eem (Cowichan children). Starting Sept. 22, Cowichan citizens began voting on the adoption of a new Education Law — Squw’utsun’a’lh Sniw’ ’u tu Stutul’na’mut (the Quw’utsun Peoples Teachings for Education) — which is firmly rooted in traditional Quw’utsun cultural teachings. This agreement and Cowichan Tribes’ participation in the First Nation Education Authority provides a framework to create laws, develop courses and graduation requirements, certify teachers, and implement policies to deliver education on-reserve, grounded in Quw’utsun syuw’entst (culture) and snuw’uy’ulh (teachings). The proposed Squw’utsun’a’lh Sniw’ ’u tu Stutul’na’mut (Education Law) affirms this inherent authority and establishes the Quw’utsun Syuw’entst Lelum as the governing body for schools, programs, and education systems. The Education Law represents another milestone in exercising the Nation’s right to govern according to its own laws, values, and traditions.