Encouraging education: Caldwell Island First Nation inks partnership with GECDSB and Fanshawe College

Caldwell Island First Nation Chief Nikki van Oirschot (centre) signs an agreement with officials from Fanshawe College (left) and the Greater Essex County District School Board (right) on July 7, 2026. (Michelle Maluske/CTV News Windsor)

Caldwell Island First Nation has signed a partnership with the Greater Essex County District School Board and Fanshawe College.

The two institutions are helping band members complete high school or post-secondary educations.

“Education is a powerful tool for strengthening our Nation and creating opportunities for future generations,” said Chief Nikki van Oirschot of Caldwell First Nation in a news release Tuesday. “These partnerships reflect our commitment to supporting lifelong learning and ensuring our members have access to quality educational opportunities that meet them where they are.”

Adult learners can contact the CIFN office in Leamington to begin the process of either entering school at the public board’s adult education locations across Windsor-Essex or going to Fanshawe College in London, Ont.

Although it is a new partnership, Chief van Oirschot says three band members have already signed up.

“One of the members, in their 70s, just didn’t do high school and they were young, got married, started having children, didn’t really have a need to have a high school diploma, but now really wants to have that, really feels like they missed out - to an extent - in not completing that portion of their education,” van Oirschot told CTV News.

The partnership is a first for the Greater Essex County District School Board, according to Adult and Alternative Continuing Education Principal Rich Reid.

“We’re just going to meet with Caldwell on a regular basis to make sure we’re meeting the needs of the community,” Reid said. “We need to let each other know what’s working, what’s not working and focus on the good and keep moving forward.”

The agreement is not the first for Fanshawe College.

According to Guy Williams, Special Advisor for Indigenous Education, Fanshawe has numerous agreements with other First Nations, including development of a paramedic program for Six Nations, a language diploma for Oneida and an indigenous focused educational support worker program.

“It’s usually a community coming to us and saying this is what we need,” Williams adds. “It’s not us saying here’s what we’re going to market to you.”