Nunavut must improve education system

We are three students attending the second year of the unique and beneficial program called Nunavut Sivuniksavut.

Leaving Nunavut and coming down to Ottawa has made us realize that education is one of the most important tools any Nunavummiutaq should have. Being a minority in the southern society has helped us recognize how unique, beautiful and friendly the people of Nunavut are.

Seeing the territory from the outside has made us compare the level of education in Nunavut to southern standards and we feel that Nunavut has to step up to improve to the same level as the rest of the country.

Without education, any individual has little opportunity to succeed nowadays in the 21st century. We are living in a world where technology and information requires post-secondary education. Nunavut is opening up to the world, and we will need skilled and knowledgeable people to run the territory.

We feel that the first Government of Nunavut has done little regarding the education system. It is as if the GN has left the students in a shack with very few topics that are relevant to Inuit culture. Making Nunavut students learn the southern curriculum takes us further away from our culture and makes a huge gap between elders and youth. As we all know, elders hold a treasure of knowledge about life and struggles that could really benefit the youth.

We, as students, are encouraging Nunavummiut to take on more educational opportunities anywhere. We are fortunate enough to get funded for education as Nunavummiut to study whatever interests us.

We should not take this great opportunity for granted as we’ve realize that southern students struggle a great deal for financial assistance, such as having to work two jobs while juggling school and homework on top of that. Do you realize how fortunate we are?

We would like the next government to take education issues very seriously, unlike the last one which seemed to just put aside the Education Act, which is extremely crucial for our future. We recommend that consultations be held in every community to hear local issues and concerns about education. They are the ones that are going to be affected most.

We conclude with a quote we have created:
“Learning about your past, you build pride.
Being proud of your past, you gain faith.
Without faith, there is no hope.
And without hope, there is nothing.”

Paul Akeeagok
Tommy Akulukjuk
David Joanasie
Nunavut Sivuniksavut, 2nd year
Ottawa