Study on university underway
Education minister explains quarter-million-dollar contract in legislative assembly
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, November 9, 2015
TORONTO
The territorial government is hiring a Toronto company to do a feasibility study into establishing a university in Nunavut.
Auditing firm KPMG is conducting the Nunavut university feasibility study under a $246,269 contract, Education Minister Paul Quassa said in the legislative assembly Oct. 28.
One MLA questioned if there are enough high school graduates to justify a post-secondary institution.
"We are all aware that the Department of Education faces a number of challenges in producing graduates who have the necessary educational levels and abilities to continue in post-secondary education," said Arviat South MLA Joe Savikataaq Oct. 29.
"There are also ongoing challenges and financial constraints to providing enough post-secondary education and training through Nunavut Arctic College and its cultural institute, Piqqusilirivvik, to fill current needs in Nunavut's labour force.
"Can the minister clarify why he feels that this is a good time to look at establishing a university in Nunavut?"
"We have Grade 12 graduates now and if they want to proceed to further education, we need to have a university," replied Quassa.
"Looking at the students who get Grade 12, whenever they want to go to university, they have no choice but to go south. They are very far from home communities and they get homesick. Once we have a university in Nunavut, our precious Grade 12 graduates will be able to have more options to further their education."
Quassa said the feasibility study, which was first talked about in May, would cover several issues.
The list includes, but is not limited to: "whether there exists enough student demand of such an institution, what legal or legislative steps need to be taken by the Government of Nunavut to create a university, what governance and oversight structure would be needed, what types of programming would most effectively meet the needs of Nunavummiut and what physical and technological infrastructure would be needed."
