NUNAVUT
With consultations underway across the territory for a revised Education Act, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) vice-president James Eetoolook is speaking out, saying it is an Inuit right to be educated in the Inuit languages.

This is what Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. wants to see in a revised Education Act: Instruction in Inuktut for the majority (80 per cent or more) of educational programs from kindergarten to Grade 12, Curriculum that reflects and promotes Inuit identity and culture, Eighty-five per cent Inuit teachers and principals as required by Article 23 of the Nunavut Agreement, DEAs that receive adequate training and resources, and have the authority to make decisions about staffing, operations, school calendar, curriculum and language of instruction, Regional boards should be re-established to support DEAs, The timeline for Inuktut instruction must not be deleted from the Education Act, and Government provision of inclusive education is key to allowing all Nunavummiut students to fulfill their potential. Source: Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.

"Education reforms must strengthen our right to be educated in Inuktut, promote Inuit cultural instruction and Inuit identity and dramatically increase the number of Inuit teachers in our schools," stated Eetoolook in a news release June 28. "Inuit language, culture and identity must be the foundation of the education system."

Last November, the chairperson of the Special Committee to Review the Education Act, Iqaluit-Tasiluk MLA George Hickes tabled the committee's report in the legislative assembly.

Hickes told the legislative assembly Nov. 5, "The special committee wishes to emphasize that the delivery of an education system is too important to be driven primarily by political idealism. The committee is of the view that the objectives of an education system must be practical, realistic and attainable."

The report contained controversial suggestions which threaten Inuit culture and language.

"Where do you start," asked then Nunavut Language Commissioner Sandra Inutiq, who recently resigned from her position with one year left in her term.

At the time Inutiq said the report was vague

"You have to read between the lines to put the pieces together and make your own conclusions," Inutiq told Nunavut News/North.

Inutiq objected specifically to a suggestion that a single language of instruction model is proposed and the single language seems to be English.

"If you piece together the statements made in this report, including there are not enough bilingual educators, they want a one-language model. So what you draw from that is that they want English as the one-language model. You would need to get rid of the right (to an Inuktut education) to achieve that goal. Taking away rights is serious."

Also in November, Eetoolook said NTI would support the recommendation of a single language model "if it is the Qulliq model."

"The majority of Nunavut's population is Inuit, therefore the language of instruction should be in the majority's spoken language. In this case, the first language of instruction must and should be Inuktut."

Consultations by the GN took place throughout June, with an extension to the deadline that will see a second round of consultations throughout August.

Inutiq also noted the committee's report suggested there is a choice to be made between Inuit culture and language and academics.

"The suggestion that it is a choice between language, culture and history, or an academic one, is a continuation of a colonialist idea that Inuit culture and language is inferior, and cannot be academic. Language, culture and academics should not be viewed as mutually exclusive," she said.

"It's a troubling ultimatum. And the English stream is only graduating 25 per cent of the children."

In the legislative assembly June 2, Education Minister Paul Quassa stated his "officials will be consulting closely with NTI over the course of the three-month consultation period."

His department's website, he said, contains information explaining what the proposed amendments are, why they are necessary and what it means for the future of the Education Act.

So far, consultations have taken place with education stakeholders, such as District Education Authorities (DEAs), and public meetings are to be held during the second round.

"During the first visit to the communities we will provide them information. At the second visit we will be hearing from the communities on what they would like to see amended," said Quassa.

Proposed amendments to the act include increased standardization across the territory and standardizing instructional minutes and language of instruction per subject/grade level.

The deadline for feedback on amendments to the Education Act is Sept. 2. Quassa plans to table proposed amendments in the legislative assembly during the winter 2017 session.

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