Inuit Education Accord
Submitted by Mary Simon on Tue, 2009-04-07 13:38
For many years, Inuit have believed that education systems that are designed from the Inuit societal and cultural values and delivered in the Inuit language as part of an optimal school curriculum for our children will lead to better educational outcomes for Inuit.
I am delighted to tell you that on April 2nd the Inuit of Canada, the two territorial governments, and the Nunatsiavut government, signed the National Inuit Education Accord in Iqaluit, Nunavut, a move that we expect will greatly help towards determining what actions are needed to boost results in our education system.
This Accord will openly present the Inuit worldview as a source of pride, continuity, survival and success to upcoming students and will represent an important turning point from the mistakes of the past to a modern Inuit school system that allows the learning minds of our young people to survey the future, based on experiences of the past and the present.
The success of bringing this Accord to fruition could not have been accomplished without the valuable cooperation of our partners in this historic event: The government of Canada, the Government of Nunavut, the government of the Northwest Territories, the Nunatsiavut Government, Makivik Corporation, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Inuvialuit Regional Corp., Pauktuutit (National Inuit Women’s organization) National Inuit Youth Council and Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada).
Inuit thank you all for your tireless dedication and informed and intelligent contribution.
We also acknowledge and are grateful to the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada for their assistance and cooperation in making this Accord a reality.
I am inspired to envisage the day when all Canada’s Inuit children will not only be as successful in their studies as their southern counterparts, but exceed every expectation for any student as they grow into full participants in the modern knowledge based culture and economy, with the abiding respect for this good earth that their ancestors have passed on, perhaps with just this day in mind.
Please follow this link to read our news release on this inspiring event.
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Inuit Education Accord
I am really happy that ITK is initiating an Inuit specific education system. If Inuit created an ethics committee about teaching science courses it would be very easy for Inuit to learn anatomy and physiology. All the experiments would be humane because as soon as they are done teaching with the animal they would eat it. Inuit knowledge would be validated and students would be prepared for university learning because of the exposure. I had a difficult time trying to make sense by relying solely on textbooks and learning only through mind. Visual learning in the south is minimal, written word is more important for the schools. Inuit are not prepared to piece together an essay or lab report. They need more practice in English! Schools coulld be sustained by incorporating hunting into the system. Food source would be available from those hunting trips. It only needs a little investment and the Inuit would minimise their reliance on government funds. Boys and girls also would be taught to hunt and make clothing. Too many of my peers don't have a high school diploma, an equivalency course like GED should be used to target those young people who just hang around and do nothing. Those people always get left out because they don't meet requirements and have no where to turn. I am very grateful that Inuit are starting to make education more appropriate for Inuit. Please consider science important when preparing a system for Inuit. We should be reserching the unknown as the Coast Guard has been doing over the year. Perhaps they have other motives that we don't know. Thank you Mary Simon for serving as a President that represents all of Inuit in Canada and across the globe! Best wishes