A man with a big job

JOHN AMAGOALIK

James Arvaluk, the minister of education in the fledgling government of Nunavut, has the most challenging job in the new territory.

He is inheriting a system and a generation of students suffering from neglect and incompetence. The old government of the NWT knew the education system in Nunavut was in bad shape, but were not able to fix it by long distance. The powers that were in Yellowknife had no day-to-day personal connection with the schools and the people in the communities.

The people of Nunavut themselves must accept part of the blame. Not enough parents care about or understand the type of education their kids are getting or not getting. Alcoholic parents are responsible for neglected and emotionally disturbed children. Overcrowded homes make homework almost impossible.

The legacy of fly-by-night fathers who disappear after one night stands is catching up with us. Children having children turn out dysfunctional children because they don’t know how to be parents.

The church no longer has the influence it used to have and too many kids think nothing of lying, stealing, violence, and disrespect for elders. Too many parents or adults in general are unwilling or unable to discipline unruly kids.

There are some incompetent or uncaring teachers and principals who churn out too many uneducated kids just to get them through the system. There are even dark suggestions of racist teachers who don’t want some students to succeed.

In short, we are all to blame. And it is up to all of us to fix it. Let us not dwell on who is responsible for the sick system and point fingers because we all know what the problems are. Let us concentrate on finding solutions.

James Arvaluk has a big and difficult job to do. But James comes from the school of hard knocks and this is nothing new to him. As a matter of fact, this is the type of challenge he has been training for all his life.