Maria Canton
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Oct 16/00) - Concerns are growing over the Government of Nunavut's apparent lack of commitment to promoting the Inuktitut langauge, says the board of directors for the Nunavut Social Development Council.

At a recent NSDC annual general meeting, board members were surprised to learn that government departments had very few definite plans to present to them.

"There seems to be a lack of development on plans for the Inuktitut language, we realize efforts are being made, but we expected to see a lot more," said Mary Wilman, the chair of NSDC.

"We know the priority is on policy and procedures right now, but 20 years is too long to wait to achieve the basic requirements."

The GN's department of education, however, says the push is on to bring Inuktitut front and centre in Nunavut schools.

"Generally speaking, schools across Nunavut have Inuktitut taught as the language of instruction in Grades K-3, a lot have it from K-6 and it goes higher than that if a school has the teachers and resources," said Ian Rose, who was acting deputy minister last week.

"It is very dependent upon staffing and the number of Inuit teachers and language specialists in each community."

The department is also taking steps to increase the number of Inuit teachers in the school system by offering the Nunavut Teachers Education Program (NTEP) in communities around the territory.

"We just wrapped up a course in Pond Inlet and we've also had one in Coral Harbour," said Rose.

"This year we've started one in Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay. The courses produce teachers who can instruct all subjects and there is an emphasize on Inuktitut and Inuit culture."

Some 8,000 students attend school full time in Nunavut, of which 95 per cent are Inuit or list Inuit as their ethnic background.

Statistics were not available on how many of the students speak Inuktitut.

Despite the slow process departments are making, NSDC says it only means working together is that much more important.

"Everyone has to come together to revise policies and procedures to suit Inuit needs, we have our work cut out for us and this is certainly on-going," said Wilman.

NSDC provides advice and research to governments and Inuit organizations on "assisting Inuit to define and promote their social and cultural development goals and objectives."

The council also encourages governments to design and adopt social and cultural policies appropriate to Inuit.