“Increasing the number of American Indian postsecondary graduates will not only assist in their personal development but also contribute to the economic and social welfare of the nation as a whole. However, it will be difficult to reach the goal unless more funds are directed to support systems that have proved effective in the past,” says Jamie P. Merisotis, president of IHEP.
Despite the clear benefits of a higher education degree — increased income and the social health of reservation communities — American Indians still do not go to college due to high tuition. In terms of health, 88 percent of American Indians with a bachelor’s degree or higher said they were in “excellent, very good, or good” health, compared with 73 percent of those without a high school diploma.
“Without increased investment in American Indians, it will be difficult to continue to increase the educational attainment of this population,” said the report. “Increasing the enrollment and degree attainment of American Indians is crucial to the economic and social well-being of individual American Indians and of both reservation-based and non-reservation-based communities.”
“Educated people tend to be active members of their society and to have greater trust in its institutions. Education promotes social cohesion,” says Dr. Gerald Gipp, executive director of AIHEC.
— By Shilpa Banerji
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