Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Jan 27/99) - The adult learning environment in Rankin Inlet promises to brighten considerably with the opening of the hamlet's second day-care centre in the very near future.

Jessie Kaludjak has been one of the driving forces behind the new day care and she says she got involved with the project about a year and a half ago when her sister-in-law came to her for help in launching the project.

"The Pauktuutit Inuit Women's Association had some funding available for each region, to help with Inuktitut orientated day care, so we started working on the project and, this past November, we finally found a building in Area 6," says Kaludjak.

"We purchased a house with the help of Pauktuutit, which paid for the building. We're hoping by the end of this month, after we've conducted our interviews and completed the setup and moved all the stuff in, the day care will be open. In not by the end of the month, then in early February."

Kaludjak says there is a definite need for more day care in Rankin. She says the existing day care has a waiting list of people who need day care and the new centre already has nine children registered without opening its doors.

"If I thought there was going to be any conflict of interest with the existing day care, I wouldn't have gotten involved," says Kaludjak. "When we open, we'll have room for 15 children in age brackets of infants up to two years of age and from two up to five years old."

Kaludjak says the new day care will open with three full-time positions, one manager and two care-givers. She says Rankin's second day care will be a big advantage to those in town with children at home who wish to further their educations.

"There are courses running at Arctic College and a lot of those students have children and need day care. With the help of the government, we'll be able to accept those children because some of our clients will be able to take advantage of subsidized day care."

Bob Spensley, the adult educator for the Community Learning Centre, says from what he's seen in the community, he agrees there's a definite need for a second full-time day-care facility in the hamlet, especially when it comes to adults furthering their education.

"It's very important for adults going back to school to know their children are being properly cared for," says Spensley. "I would say there's a huge need for it in Rankin. A lot of people in the full-time learning programs have frustrations with the lack of consistent day care and a second facility would help provide that consistency."

Spensley says one of the biggest reasons local adult learners have problems with keeping up their attendance is that when they're worried about their kids for child-care reasons, they're not having as good a learning experience as they want.

"Almost all of our students are parents and the biggest set back for their attendance is babysitting problems. We have many quality babysitters in Rankin, but the problem is consistency.

They're just not readily available all of the time, especially during day learning hours, and another day care will help relieve that situation.

"I am well-aware a lack of available, consistent, quality child care is a problem across Nunavut, not just Rankin. I would encourage our new politicians and decision- makers to support the strength and health of our child-care system."