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IQALUIT
Adults who haven't finished high school but want to will be secured a chance as the Nunavut Arctic College will receive federal funding to expand its adult basic education programs, the prime minister announced in Iqaluit on Feb. 23.

Nunavut Arctic College student Jay Atuat Shouldice, left, talks with Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq and Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Iqaluit on Feb. 23. - Jeanne Gagnon/NNSL photo

Stephen Harper made the trek North to the territorial capital to announce the college will receive $11.1 million over five years to improve its adult basic education programs. He added education is especially important in the North because Nunavut has the youngest population in the country.

"It is imperative development in the North benefits the people who live here and education is critical to making sure Northern jobs will be filled by Northerners," said Harper. "There must be a second chance for everyone who sincerely wants to go back to school and build a better life for themselves and their families."

He added the program will strengthen education for a generation to come. Sometimes referred to pre-employment training as it often leads to a first job, the program provides basic numeracy, literacy and workplace skills to adults without a high school diploma.

"More courses will be offered by more teachers at more locations right across all three territories," said Harper. "Many Northern workers want to learn a new skill to earn a promotion. We will see, through these investments, that they get that chance."

The funding will enable the college to develop the curriculum of adult basic education to beef up mathematics and science, for instance, and be more effective in delivering the program at the community level, according to college president Mike Shouldice. He added they will also expand online and distance education as well as develop course material.

"The job market is asking for more and more and more graduates of Grade 12 all the time so we need to start turning people out at that level. There are a lot of adults out there who just don't have that," he said.

Harper said he has made a point of coming to the North very regularly and not just during the summer.

"I thought it was an appropriate thing to come here today to make sure people not just in the North but everywhere understand the good things that are happening and we have potential to make happen up here in this part of the country," he said.

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