Iqaluit (Jun 05/06) - Nine Nunavut communities are vying to be the site of an Inuit cultural school.

Coral Harbour, Cape Dorset, Arviat, Iglulik, Clyde River, Rankin Inlet, Taloyoak, Baker Lake and Iqaluit submitted proposals to the Department of Cultural, Language, Elders and Youth (CLEY) in hopes of hosting the facility.

The successful candidate will be selected by the end of the month, said CLEY Minister Louis Tapardjuk.

A working group with representation from CLEY, the Department of Education and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated is reviewing the proposals and will make recommendations to the minister.

Among their considerations will be how many students should attend the school and screening criteria, as enrolment will be open to pupils from across Nunavut.

The facility will offer programming with an emphasis on Inuktitut and Inuit cultural traditions.

The Government of Nunavut has committed $10 million towards the project.

The estimated cost of constructing the school, or renovating an existing building, won't be known until site selection has been finalized, Tapardjuk said.