Picco vows school system reform

SARA MINOGUE

Education Minister Ed Picco has announced “an aggressive reform” that will affect pre-school, kindergarten to Grade 12, and secondary school programs across Nunavut, and says parents, teachers, and students will see changes in the school system as early as this fall.

Language issues top Picco’s agenda.

“We need to foster and grow the use of Inuktitut in schools, and at the same time, keep English as the mainstream,” Picco said.

Picco proposes three standard language of instruction models that DEAs in each community can choose from.

DEAs are now reviewing the three models, which include early immersion, Qulliq, and dual language. Picco declined to offer further details before nine remaining DEAs have a chance to review the three options.

Picco hopes to have the three models and an implementation strategy completed by fall.

One obstacle to keeping Inuktitut in schools is the lack of Inuktitut-speaking teachers.

A lack of Inuktitut-language books and textbooks is another challenge that Picco says he hopes to address. He plans to complete the Inuktitut curriculum development strategy this month.

For starters, the department launched a new English and Inuktitut book yesterday called Common Plants of Nunavut.

The book is the fourth in a series that includes books on birds, marine mammals and terrestrial mammals, and was produced with funding from Sustainable Development, NTI and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. French and Inuinnaqtun versions are also planned.

Picco also promises to complete Inuktitut first language materials.

Nunavut also needs more relevant materials in English. Picco calls this “Nunavut-izing the material,” and says projects are in the works.

As an example, he cites the proverbial math problem where two trains leave two train stations at different times and speeds. Skidoos would be a more meaningful example for Nunavut kids doing math, Picco says.

Territorial standards are another area where Picco wants to make changes.

A culturally relevant curriculum should produce some positive results, Picco says. He also says that rather than relying on standard tests, Nunavut should look at criterion testing.

The difference is that standard tests are based on specific curriculums, which often put Nunavut students behind. Criterion testing, on the other hand, challenges students to demonstrate specific skills.

Either way, Picco wants to see “tighter academic standards put in place by grade.”

A new school funding formula is also in the works.

Nunavut still relies on a funding formula inherited from the Northwest Territories.

That formula “doesn’t make any sense,” Picco says.

“We need a more realistic way to account for staffing levels and pupil-teacher ratios. And we need clarity and transparency. The funding formula now is failing. It’s arbitrary.”

Picco plans to present a more workable formula to cabinet that will solve some of these problems.

A lack of public consultation was cited as a main factor when the government of Nunavut scrapped its first Education Act last March.

Picco says he plans to do “extensive consultation” with DEAs, parents and educators before tabling his version of the Education and Schools Act.

He’s also setting up an education advisory committee, made up of people with classroom experience: teachers, adult educators, Arctic College instructors and early childhood education instructors.

Picco plans to release the process for developing the act in October. The Education Act should be ready for a first reading in the legislative assembly by February 2006.

Post-secondary programs are also under review.

An adult learning strategy and a new prevocational training strategy are both in development. Picco will present details to the legislative assembly in the fall.

Picco wants to expand vocational training in Nunavut to meet the growing demand for skilled workers. Rather than construct an expensive new trades school, he hopes to build on some of the programs at Nunavut Arctic College.

His wider strategy for building stronger post-secondary schooling is to keep kids in school.

“Right now, for every 100 children that entered kindergarten, we only have 25 actually graduate Grade 12.”

As always, funding constraints will affect any changes to the system.

The department of education saw a $6.8 million increase in its operating budget this year, most of which will go to the Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students and the income support program.

Funding for programs and services for young children has not been increased, despite a growth in population.