Africentric Bachelor of Education Cohort Program – Alternative Offering

The Africentric Bachelor of Education Cohort (ABC) Program is a partnership between the Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute (DBDLI) and Acadia University’s School of Education to provide equitable access to African Nova Scotians interested in pursuing a profession in teacher education.  Africentric Education centres the knowledge, perspectives, histories, culture, heritage, values, lived experiences, and world views of people of African descent in analysis of everything that concerns us. It is a form of transformative education that provides persons of African descent the opportunity to be educated in a culturally responsive and culturally relevant learning environment.

This first Africentric B.Ed. Cohort is focussed on Elementary level educators.  Recruitment has been focused on the following African Nova Scotian and persons of African descent priority groups:

  • African Nova Scotian Student Support Workers currently serving in Nova Scotia’s public school system;
  • Teacher Assistants, Educational Program Assistants, and Child and Youth Care Practitioners currently serving in Nova Scotia’s public schools.

The Africentric Bachelor of Education Cohort (ABC) is scheduled to begin in September of 2024 and will include Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer semesters. Africentric B.Ed. Cohort students will be required to travel to Acadia University for courses, with some courses offering online components. Students in this program will be working in their roles within Nova Scotia public schools as they complete their B.Ed.; therefore, program offerings will be responsive to this reality.

Acadia University has been receiving applications from February 26 from African Nova Scotian Students Support Workers. Due to expanded interest in the program, an invitation to apply has been extended to include African Nova Scotian and persons of African descent who are currently serving in Nova Scotia public schools as Teacher Assistants (TAs), Educational Program Assistants (EPAs), and Child and Youth Care Practitioners (CYCP).

Successful applicants will be eligible for scholarships to cover the cost of tuition, books, and to support various aspects of representations of Africentricity during the program.

To apply to Acadia University for this program, you will need the following:

  • An undergraduate degree (or equivalent) from a recognized post-secondary institution. However, if you have a college diploma or if you are near completion of an undergraduate degree, you are also encouraged to apply.
  • ONE official transcript from every post-secondary institution attended with the exception of Acadia University. Please include college transcripts as well if applicable. These transcripts must be sent by the granting university/college to admissions@acadiau.ca if being sent electronically, or by mail in a sealed envelope to:

    Admissions Office, Acadia University
    15 University Avenue, Room 126,
    Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6

    Please note that any transcript that is not in a sealed envelope or that is sent directly by an applicant to the university is not considered an official transcript.
    International transcripts: Prior to applying, all international transcripts will be assessed by the Education unit of our partner university. Additionally, high school transcripts are not required.
  • A GPA of 2.67 is the general requirement. However, the B.Ed. Admissions Committee encourage applicants to note extenuating circumstances that may have contributed to a lower GPA.
  • Three referees including 1) Academic Reference (from someone who has taught you in a post-secondary institution including college or university), and 2) Two references that are work, community, or volunteer-work related and who can speak to your teaching potential. In the extenuating circumstance that you cannot access an academic referee who has taught you in a postsecondary institution (for example, if it has been five years or longer since you have completed a university course), you may ask permission of Acadia University’s School of Education to use another reference who is not a former university professor for consideration. To do this, please email Dr. Ayman Aljarrah at ayman.aljarrah@acadiau.ca to explain your situation and ask permission to use an alternative for a referee. The additional two referees may include but are not limited to individuals with whom you have worked during employment, in community, or during volunteer opportunities.

    Please note that you will be required to provide the email addresses of each referee in the application. Your referees will not be asked to provide a letter. Rather, when you provide their email address, a link will be sent to each referee with a reference check form where they will be asked to answer questions about your suitability for the B.Ed. program.

    Please choose your references carefully and note that family members and close friends would not qualify as referees.
  • Complete a 500-word essay question and two 250-word questions (please see application). For the 500-word essay, you will be asked to choose from one of the following topics:
    1. As a prospective teacher, what is your understanding of equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism?
      OR
    2. A significant problem in public education today is…
  • Your resumé highlighting the following experiences:
    1. Relevant Skills, Talents, Interests, Hobbies
    2. Employment History
    3. Volunteer History
    4. Leadership
    5. Awards and Special Recognition AND/ OR Achievements

Applications for this program must be completed online at the following link: https://education.acadiau.ca/13026.html

Please note that the application process for the Africentric B.Ed. Cohort Program is in two parts. The first part is the general Acadia University undergraduate degree application. After you have

successfully completed this section, you will receive an email notification (please check your junk mail if you do not see this email in your inbox). Follow the instructions in this email to continue to the second section of the application which is where you will be asked to complete the essay questions and upload your resumé, etc.

To read more about the Africentric B.Ed. Cohort, please visit: https://www2.acadiau.ca/home/news-reader-page/africentric-education-program.html

For more information contact the Africentric B.Ed. Cohort Coordinator at kesa.munroe-anderson@acadiau.ca or the Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute’s Coordinator for the Africentric B.Ed. Cohort at loice.busingye@dbdli.com