The Province of Manitoba announced last week that they plan to increase classroom learning on the topics of residential schooling and the reconciliation process.

Students from grades 9 to eleven will watch the new DVD, From Apology to Reconciliation, and read an accompanying guide during their social studies classes' next school year.

Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI) will be one of the schools adding the new learning techniques to the curriculum.

This will add to their already large focus on residential schooling in social studies classes.

"We already have a strong local focus for this era of history that our students learn about," said Larry Smith, head of the Social Studies Department at PCI. "I've taken my class to the former residential school in Portage. We also have guest speakers come in and talk to the students."

See more in the Wednesday, June 27 edition of the Portage Daily Graphic.