Kenjgewin Teg

Kenjgewin Teg
Type	School or university

Kenjgewin Teg is a hub for Indigenous-governed post-secondary and lifelong learning.

In Anishinabek News

• October 2019: The organization's president, Stephanie Roy, advocated for the importance of immersion programs like Ngwaaganak Program to overcome the shaming of Indigenous languages.
• July 2020: The institute transitioned the majority of its post-secondary programs to remote delivery for the 2020-2021 academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It launched a digital learning environment internally branded as KENDAN to facilitate online education for students on Manitoulin Island and other areas. The school is a member of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium and partners with several Ontario colleges and universities to deliver accredited programs.
• October 2020: As of October 2020, Kenjgewin Teg is the 46th member of eCampusOntario and the first Indigenous institute to join the consortium. The institute provides culturally relevant postsecondary education and lifelong learning for adult students on Manitoulin Island. The school offers university and college-accredited programs to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students using an Anishinaabewin community approach.
• October 2020: The institute formed a partnership with Nipissing University to offer culturally relevant training for classroom assistants. It is one of seven members of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium in Ontario providing community-based lifelong learning. The organization aims to increase control of Indigenous education as part of the TRC Calls to Action.
• November 2020: In 2016, this institute began a partnership with the Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre to translate educational materials into the Mnidoo Mnising dialect. The organization plans to distribute new Anishinabemowin literacy resources to its member schools and use them in its post-secondary diploma program starting in 2021. It is one of seven members of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium providing culturally relevant learning for adult students in Ontario.
• December 2020: The institute signed a five-year agreement with Fleming College to deliver a Practical Nursing program starting in 2021. It provides culturally relevant learning and is one of seven members of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium in Ontario. The organization uses an Anishinabewin community-based approach to provide education, training, and business support services.
• January 2021: The institute is a member of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium and provides culturally relevant post-secondary education. In late 2020, the facility became an approved testing location for the Canadian Welding Bureau. The campus is located within M'Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island.
• February 2021: On April 1, 2021, this institute became the first Indigenous member of the OntarioLearn consortium. The school provides community-based post-secondary education and lifelong learning opportunities on Manitoulin Island. As of 2021, the organization is undergoing a quality assurance process with the Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council to offer its own credentials. The institute is a member of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium in Ontario.
• March 2021: The institution employs Rhonda Hopkins as an Anishinaabemowin immersion specialist.
• April 2021: Kenjgewin Teg is cited as an existing post-secondary option for students seeking Indigenous-led education. The institution was proposed as a representative for a committee to develop an Inter-Indigenous Nation-to-Nation University.
• May 2021: The institution nominated Rhonda Hopkins for an honorary doctorate to recognize her lifelong commitment to Anishinaabemowin education. It established its first full-time faculty position in Anishinabemowin in 2021 as part of its goal to become an accredited Anishinabek place of learning. The organization is one of seven members of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium in Ontario.
• May 2021: The institute is an official member of eCampusOntario and is expanding its virtual programming. President Stephanie Roy expressed excitement about welcoming more learners through increased credibility and virtual awareness.
• October 2021: Kenjgewin Teg signed an agreement in October 2021 to take over Indigenous Studies programming previously offered by the University of Sudbury. The organization is one of seven members of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium and is located in M'Chigeeng First Nation. The institute intends to establish a campus at the University of Sudbury to provide community-based learning for adult students.
• December 2021: The institute is located in M'Chigeeng First Nation and is recognized under the Indigenous Institute Act. In January 2022, the organization will begin a pilot program with Queen's University to deliver three new courses in Indigenous Studies. The school has maintained a partnership with the Indigenous Teacher Education Program for two decades.
• January 2022: In January 2022, the institution received credential granting authority from the Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council. The school provides education grounded in the Anishinaabe worldview and is located on Mnidoo Mnising. As of January 2022, it is working to build a stand-alone Indigenous Studies program using a gift of over 50 courses from the University of Sudbury.
• April 2022: In April 2022, this institute received over $4.5 million in funding to support training for personal support workers and practical nurses. The school delivers community-based healthcare programs in partnership with Canadore College and Fleming College. It is a recognized educational body under the Indigenous Institute Act (2017) with the authority to grant its own credentials.
• June 2023: The institute is located in M'Chigeeng First Nation. It has had the authority to grant standalone diplomas without partnering with other institutions since 2017.
• June 2024: The institute launched its new strategic research presence during a presentation event in Little Current on June 11, 2024. In 2023, the organization became eligible to apply for federal Tri-Council research funding. The school is one of nine institutes recognized under the Indigenous Institutes Act of 2017 and was accredited in January 2022.
• October 2024: In October 2024, the institute signed a partnership with Legend Mining to enhance Indigenous participation in the mining sector. The organization is one of nine institutes recognized under the Indigenous Institutes Act and serves as a training centre for the Canadian Welding Bureau. The institute is located in M'chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island and focuses on Anishinabek language and traditional teachings. The institute is led by President Beverley Roy and Dean of Postsecondary Education and Training Debbie Debassige.
• December 2024: The institute is a partner in the delivery of the Certificate in Journalism in Indigenous Communities program. It is scheduled to host the first in-person intensive session for the journalism program in September 2025.
• February 2025: The institute collaborated with Carleton University to develop a journalism program for Indigenous communities. It is located on Manitoulin Island and will host the first week-long intensive training session in September. The school provides a land-based learning environment for students in the new certificate program.
• March 2025: The organization provided sector updates for ongoing political advocacy during a meeting in February 2025.
• April 2025: Kenjgewin Teg offers various programs including teacher education, practical nursing, personal support worker training, and Anishinaabe studies. The institution focuses on language revitalization and promotion alongside labour force and local community development. Students at the school include both First Nation and non-Indigenous learners from Manitoulin Island and across Ontario.
• August 2025: The institute hosted the 2025 All Nations Childcare Gathering in July 2025. It is one of nine Indigenous Institutes in Ontario recognized under the Indigenous Institutes Act of 2017. The organization is dedicated to nurturing student identities through ancestral knowledge and the Anishinaabemowin language. As of August 2025, it is an accredited Indigenous Institute in Ontario.
• September 2025: In September 2026, this institute will launch its first accredited program, the Indigenous Studies Program – Certificate II. The school was recognized as one of nine Indigenous Institutes in Ontario under the Indigenous Institutes Act in 2017. It received official accreditation as an Indigenous Institute from the Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council in December 2021.
• September 2025: In September 2025, Kenjgewin Teg received a $10 million gift from the Mastercard Foundation to strengthen its education model rooted in Anishinaabe culture. The institution is one of 30 Indigenous-led organizations in Canada receiving a one-time investment to advance innovation in post-secondary education. The school aims to advance education sovereignty for the Anishinabek Nation by nurturing student identities through traditional teachings and language.
• December 2025: The institution recently hosted an event called Mshkogaabiwin: Affirming Sovereignty in Education to celebrate its recent milestones. It launched the Indigenous Studies Program – Certificate II, which is its first program accredited by the Indigenous Advanced Education & Skills Council. The school maintains its main campus on Manitoulin Island and collaborates with various colleges and universities across Ontario.
• December 2025: In December 2025, the institution was named an official test site for the Canadian Adult Education Credential. The school previously supported students seeking the General Educational Development credential and will evaluate future demand for preparatory programming. The organization aims to provide accessible education grounded in ancestral knowledge and Anishinaabemowin culture.
• March 2026: As of March 2026, Kenjgewin Teg is receiving a portion of a $57 million provincial investment shared among nine Indigenous Institutes in Ontario. The funding will support the delivery of accredited and non-accredited programming rooted in Anishinaabe language and culture. The institution plans to use the stable funding to enhance skilled trades training and employment pathways for students.
• March 2026: The institute is positioned to expand its programming following a significant investment from the province of Ontario. It focuses on nurturing student identities through ancestral knowledge, stories, and traditional teachings of the land.
• June 2026: This organization partnered with Carleton University to create the Journalism in Indigenous Communities Certificate Program. The institution hosted the first in-person intensive session of the program, which focused on traditional Indigenous storytelling and legends.
• July 2026: The institution celebrated its largest graduating class to date on June 25, 2026, with 96 students completing their studies. It offers programmes grounded in Anishinaabemowin language and traditional teachings, including a voluntary Anishinaabe-aadiziwin Distinction for cultural learning. The school presented degrees and certificates in fields such as nursing, journalism, and the Indigenous Teacher Education Program during the 2025-2026 ceremony.
• September 2026: In September 2026, the institute achieved institutional grant eligibility from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The school became the first Indigenous Institute in Ontario to hold research funding eligibility from both the health and social science federal agencies. The institution integrated the Manitoulin Anishinaabek Research Review Committee into its research ethics body in May 2026.
• September 2026: Kenjgewin Teg is the primary center for post-secondary and lifelong learning located within M'Chigeeng First Nation. The institution is recognized across Ontario for its Indigenous-governed education system.