| Summary: | The Brandon University Northern Teacher Education Program (BUNTEP), initiated in 1975, played a critical role in expanding teacher education throughout northern Manitoba for over three decades. The program emerged in response to the social and political movements of the 1970s, particularly from the demands by local and national First Nations organizations for a more decentralized education system and the transfer of administrative control to individual First Nations bands. This shift was part of a broader push during the 1970s for educational autonomy and affirming Indigenous cultural identity through schooling. BUNTEP’s establishment was a significant stride toward increasing the presence of First Nations teachers in band-operated schools. These teachers were believed to be the key to improving First Nations education and aligning education with self-determination goals. Over the years, the program contributed substantially to the professionalization of First Nations educators. This thesis delves into the history of Indigenous teacher education programs in Manitoba, specifically focusing on the formative years and influence of BUNTEP amidst the educational and political changes of the 1960s and 1970s. Employing historical analysis, this study aims to uncover the challenges, achievements, and complexities encountered by BUNTEP. It explores how the program responded to the immediate educational needs of the Indigenous communities in northern Manitoba and served as a vital framework for the revitalization and transformation of First Nations education in Canada. M.Ed.
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