SA国际影视传媒淭he present configuration of the NTEP (Nunavut Teacher Education Program) is not capable of producing a bilingual, Inuit teacher workforce.SA国际影视传媒�

This according to the NTEP review report by Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group. The Department of Education contracted the firm in 2017 and received the report in October of that year, but has yet to release it.

Nunavut News obtained a copy last week.

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The report looks at NTEPSA国际影视传媒檚 design and structure, at the program in relation to bilingualism, student support and community relations, management and administration SA国际影视传媒� notably, SA国际影视传媒減articularly challengedSA国际影视传媒� communication and collaboration between partners Nunavut Arctic College and the University of Regina SA国际影视传媒� and alternative models for program delivery.

It states the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 education system elements SA国际影视传媒� K-12 and NTEP SA国际影视传媒� are caught in a SA国际影视传媒渄ynamic deadlock.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭here was a sense that secondary schools did not graduate students who were interested in or ready for the demands of post-secondary education. Consequently, there were not enough students moving into post-secondary education, and the academic and/or language skills of those who did enter NTEP were not at a level that would prepare them for success. That, in turn, meant that NTEP graduates did not carry with them the subject matter knowledge, the language skills, or the pedagogical skills needed or expected of entrants into the teaching profession,SA国际影视传媒� the report states.

SA国际影视传媒淭he programs in the schools receiving these new teachers would not improve, the school and student outcomes would not improve, and the cycle would begin over again.SA国际影视传媒�

The report further states the system is to blame, not students.

SA国际影视传媒淣evertheless, the consequence was a deadlock unless and until something SA国际影视传媒� from either inside or outside the sector SA国际影视传媒� broke the cycle.SA国际影视传媒�

The 2017 report points out similar flaws and weaknesses that a 2005 review outlined.

SA国际影视传媒淭here remains much work to be done if Inuktitut is to become the principal language of instruction in all Nunavut schools and Inuit teachers are employed in representative proportions,SA国际影视传媒� states the 2005 review of NTEP by Aarluk Consulting, Inc.

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Inuit must be full participants in design of education system

That review was followed by a fully developed strategy SA国际影视传媒� Qalattuq: 10 Year Educator Training Strategy 2006-2016.

SA国际影视传媒淭his strategy is, in effect, the Inuit Employment Plan for the Department of Education, promising to bring large numbers of trained Inuit into the workforce in Nunavut schools,SA国际影视传媒� Qalattuq states. SA国际影视传媒淣o other Inuit Employment Plan will have such a profound effect on the overall financial welfare of Nunavut.SA国际影视传媒�

That strategy was never implemented.

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Nunavut News reached out to several MLAs, seeking comment on this latest report. Aggu MLA Paul Quassa is the only one who made himself available before the deadline. Quassa is a Nunavut Agreement negotiator, former land claim organization president, former education minister and premier for half a year.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is another one (report) that is probably not going to be carried forth. TheySA国际影视传媒檝e been doing studies that go back to the SA国际影视传媒�90s. It seems yet another study thatSA国际影视传媒檚 being shelved,SA国际影视传媒� said Quassa, who was education minister when Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group was contracted.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was very aware that our Education Act very specifically says we deliver bilingual education. How can we deliver, starting from NTEP to our schools, truly bilingual education? How can we get instructors that can, in fact, teach NTEP in Inuktitut to ensure our teachers are coming out fluent in both languages and able to teach in both languages? That was not happening.SA国际影视传媒�

Asked if this latest report is helpful, Quassa says he thinks not.

SA国际影视传媒淟ooking at other studies that had been done, itSA国际影视传媒檚 like a cut-and-paste kind of a study SA国际影视传媒� Nothing really new,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

In fact, looking back to 1993 and a report prepared for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples called the Northern Education and Training Systems for Inuit: A Strategic Analysis, many of the same issues are identified, and that report concludes:

SA国际影视传媒淚f the design of the institutions and programs to be offered by the new Nunavut government and other governments yet to be agreed upon are to duly reflect Inuit culture by having equitable Inuit participation in their development at all levels, and if the citizens of the regions falling under self-government are to be equipped for effective participation in the wage and/or traditional economy, then Northern education and training systems have much to make up in a very short space of time.SA国际影视传媒�

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Department mum on NTEP review

In all cases, a bilingual system strongly based in Inuit language and culture is the goal.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think we have to have a very bold government to change things,SA国际影视传媒� said Quassa. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 possible to both teach traditional knowledge and contemporary knowledge within our schools. It is so possible. Education is nothing new within our society. Maybe we didnSA国际影视传媒檛 call it education, but life-long learning is what itSA国际影视传媒檚 all about.SA国际影视传媒�

And he doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 think it has to take another 20 years to achieve.

SA国际影视传媒淣o. Twenty years? Come on,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

But thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Education Act and the Inuit Language Protection Act, to be debated in the legislative assembly in October, sets out: a 20-year schedule to implement bilingual kindergarten to Grade 12 education. Dates proved to be the undoing of Bill 37, which Quassa championed as education minister in 2017.

Part of the problem may be the tension or perceived incompatibility between Inuit ways of knowing and learning and the imported southern education models. Or as the 2017 report states it: SA国际影视传媒淭here is a tension between (1) the desire to prepare individuals to be effective teachers and have met perceived standards of teaching competence and (2) ensuring the twin goals of bilingual education for Nunavut and having a teacher workforce that is 85 per cent Inuit.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭hat seems to be the case within the government, and the department,SA国际影视传媒� said Quassa.

The Department of Education did not reply to questions related to the latest NTEP review, including why the report has not yet been released, what the department intends to do with it, and how much it cost.

However, it did respond to the Auditor General of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 June report on Support for High School Students and Adult Learners, which found NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 education system creates many hurdles to graduating with a Grade 12 diploma, for high-school students and adult learners.

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The department says it intends to move forward in developing a 10-year strategic plan and a 10-year teacher retention and recruitment strategy.

Meanwhile, the work of the past, rather than being left to gather dust in a corner, may hold answers.

SA国际影视传媒淲e identified a number of key factors where changes were needed in order to break the deadlock,SA国际影视传媒� states Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group. SA国际影视传媒淨alattuq: 10 Year Educator Training Strategy 2006-2016 undertaken more than 10 years ago, noted many of the same issues.SA国际影视传媒�

That strategy, identified at the time as an Inuit Employment Plan, might also provide a way forward to a current Inuit employment plan, as the department doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 seem to have one of those, either.

Quassa thinks Qalattuq could have worked SA国际影视传媒渋f the Department (of Education) was seriously wanting to make a difference.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭hey donSA国际影视传媒檛 seem to follow or act on recommendations that are being made. To a certain point, a lot of these backroom decisions at the bureaucracy level doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 really go to the minister. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 not how it should be done,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Reports old and recent point to a low number of Inuit role models in NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 schools, while the 1993 report points to the importance of youth having such role models, as well as having their culture and language embedded in their education.

SA国际影视传媒淚f Inuit self-determination is to be achieved, then Inuit themselves must possess a clear understanding of their culture and feel and express a pride in it. Without such an understanding, Inuit youth lack the self-esteem required to function effectively in a modern world. An important part of the process by which an understanding of Inuit culture is brought about is through the full integration of Inuit cultural values in the educational system,SA国际影视传媒� states that 26-year-old report.

SA国际影视传媒淚ntegration of cultural values occurs at a variety of levels within the system. These include curriculum content, teaching methods, the number of qualified Inuit teachers available as suitable role models for students, the number of Inuit administrators within the school system, and who actually sets school policy.SA国际影视传媒�

Quassa says, SA国际影视传媒淲e want our next generation to be successful. We want our next generation not just to be income support recipients.SA国际影视传媒�

NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 high-school graduation rate is roughly 40 to 48 per cent, depending on the source, as compared to CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 85 to 88 per cent. While the Nunavut rate has improved from 20 to 30 per cent in 2000, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 already a significant portion of an entire generation of Inuit youth not served by the education system.