Arviat school still offering quality education
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Arviat (Nov 08/00) - The classrooms are crowded at Qitiqliq school, but teachers are doing their best to ensure the quality of education is not compromised.
Principal Rob Davies says the Arivat school's study room, computer and science labs are now being used as regular classrooms.
"We've also had to move into one of the rooms in the day-care building and, as our population grows, we're going to have to take more of those rooms, which is going to really affect our early childhood program," says Davies.
The number of students increased by about 70 this semester, pushing the number of those enrolled over the 300 mark.
With 40 Grade 6 students set to move in next year, and only 13 expected to graduate, resources will be further taxed.
"The teachers have worked well, despite the larger class sizes. Our staff works as a team and receives strong support from our students, the local DEA and a co-operative elementary school staff."
Chris Purse, executive director for Kivalliq School Services, says his department is aware of the problem in Arviat, but it's going to take time to solve.
"We have a new manager of capital planning with the Department of Education, Lorne Levy, based in Iqaluit," says Purse.
"Although he's been with the Baffins for about a decade or so, he's new to the Kivalliq situation and we'll have to wait and see what future capital planning holds in store for Arviat."
Hanging in
Davies says discipline issues are on the rise, but they have hired four classroom assistants to help out in the classrooms and do group work with students needing more focused attention has eased the strain.
He adds student numbers are going to increase drastically during the next few years and both Arviat schools are already approaching or exceeding their capacity.
He says the secondary school is feeling it more this year because it's funded for 230 students and currently has about 290 regular attenders.
"We're hoping funding will become available for certain projects to help us through the school year. "It's not a rosy picture every day, but we're hanging in there and still able to offer quality education to our students."
Davies says Qitiqliq is not the only school in this situation, but his staff trusts Kivalliq Student Services in Baker Lake.
"The one positive in this situation, which shouldn't be overlooked, is that it's great to see so many students trying to get an education."
