Back-to-school campaign targets those who left in 1st semester
Inuksuk High School sees ‘several’ students returning for 2nd half of year
Inuksuk High School, as seen on Monday. Some students who left the Iqaluit school in the first semester have responded to the school’s campaign and are returning to class for the second semester. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
Several students who had left school are coming back to class at Iqaluit’s Inuksuk High School on Monday — the first day of the second semester.
“You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to start,” was a rallying cry of the school’s latest campaign to encourage secondary students who had left to register and return to class.
“Returning can feel overwhelming, so this initiative serves as a gentle encouragement to help students feel supported and motivated to complete their education,” said John Manzo, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, in an email.
The school used social media to reach students who have been out of school for an extended period. As of Monday morning, one of its Facebook posts had been shared 22 times.
It seems to have worked.
“Several students have returned and registered for semester two,” said Manzo.
“The school typically sees increased interest at the start of the second semester.”
The back-to-school program is a regular practice at the high school.
“What returning students can expect varies depending on individual circumstances,” Manzo said.
“Some may transition directly into regular classes, while others may require additional planning and support to readjust to school life.”
First semester report cards are scheduled to be handed out Thursday.
Inuksuk High School graduated 60 students in 2025. Across Nunavut, a total of 282 students completed high school that year.
What a good idea… to encourage students to return to high school. Success in small steps. Kudos to the Department of Education and the school staff
Also from the article:
“[In 2025] across Nunavut, a total of 282 students completed high school…”
That from a starting number of just over 800 who started kindergarten 12 years previously.
Yeah, S, fine and dandy. But it’s still the same old joy of rinse, repeat, and praise education hamster wheel we’ve seen many times over the years… decades.
Southern Canada is still producing 2.4 to 2.7 more high school grads per 1,000 students than Nunavut.
Nunavut teachers continue to be frustrated because they must reduce valuable full-class room teaching to teach students who are behind because they randomly show up to class.
Forget high school, let’s talk grade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. It’s not uncommon to hear teachers say grade one basics are missing in some grade 3 students. While the students who are thirsting for knowledge are told to wait… go read a book from the library.
On top of the school-skippers, add in the rapidly increasing number of students who struggle to pay attention. Plus the students who won’t do the work or disrupt the classroom.
Is this creating a mind-crushing classroom for the advanced and average students who desire to learn? How many of these bright students become lost, drop out at grade 7, or never make it past grade 9?
Shutter to imagine what the high school graduation rates across Nunavut will be when the Premier, MLAs and MP all push hard for basic universal income in months to come.
For sure, what you say is valid, MF; understated really. And solutions are compromised by many barriers with more barriers-to-solutions being added than solutions. The Canadian education system is failing and it’s 2.7 worse in Nunavut.
Kudos once again to the students, families, communities, and Education department staff who are able to squeeze any success out of the mess.
The steady decline in Canadian society is dramatic. It can’t be coincidence that for 50 of the last 70 years, we had a Liberal Party government in Ottawa and that Canadians continually advocate for that government. Too many people have their heads permanently stuck in the sand and their elbows up.
do you even care to make sense or really know what your talking about?
What does a liberal or for that matter any federal party have to do with education. Education falls directly under the provincial territorial umbrella. Add to this the student and parent responsibility to do their part. Look at the real problem. Motivation.
The real problem is the vicious cycle of poverty, I grew up poor and I struggled to pay attention as I like most people growing up was too hungry to think and pay attention. Through persistence and not giving up and knowing I can do better I didn’t quit, I did for a while there as I graduated later than most kids. Children that go hungry most times are not thinking school they are wondering where their next meals go come from.
Prioritize local housing to parents who are disciplined enough to prioritize their kids and ensure they attend school regularly.
This benefits the whole territory.
Kick people out of housing if they don’t prioritize their children, send them to school and ensure the Nunavut supplied family home is a safe environment.
We have such weak and spineless leadership in Nunavut.
Someone had to conceive of this campaign.
Some people had to meet and discuss the campaign.
Someone approved this campaign and dedicated resources to implement it.
Staff had to take their time and effort to do this.
Staff had to bring the students back into class and assess where the students left off.
Staff had to design a program or strategy to bring the students up to speed with their peers, or create an alternative learning schedule for the returning students that are too far behind their peer group.
Staff had to make the extra effort to re-integrate the students back into the classroom setting, and provide the extra support necessary for the students to get back on a learning track.
This is all well and good.
However, it is worth noting all this time, resources and effort on the part of Education staff is time, resources and effort that could have been used towards students that did not drop out.
This effort could have been used to support families that value Education and are committed to it.
I wish people that quit things realized that when they think they are making a personal decision, their actions actually affect other people, sometimes, negatively.