Building NITEP: The Native Indian Teacher Education Program at the University of British Columbia, 1969 to 1974

Abstract

This paper describes the development of the Native Indian Teacher Education (NITEP)in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia (UBC). It beginsand ends with a description of the September 16,1974 meeting at which the students,staff, and Advisory Committee gathered for the first time. The remainder of the paperdescribes the building of NITEP between 1969 and 1974. It begins with a descriptionof the context of the 1960s and 1970s, including descriptions of First Nations organ­izations, federal government involvement, and political trends throughout the period.This is followed by an explanation of the formation of the British Columbia Native In­dian Teachers Association (BCNITA), involvement of its members in the developmentof the NITEP concept, the members of the core group who spearheaded the program'sdevelopment, and the approval process, including the support and opposition withinUBC. The final NITEP proposal is summarized. Rationale, guidelines, admission, pro­gram content, differences from other faculty of education programs, location of NITEPcentres, administration, and government are also explained. The article includes theprocess of putting the program into operation during 1974, including some specialconcerns, and concludes with a forward look at the work that lay ahead, once theprogram had been established. The paper concludes with the observation that NITEPis having an impact far beyond anything the founders had dreamed about in 1974and offers congratulations to those whose have continued to build NITEP over the past40 years.