Nunavik looks at starting own Nunavut Sivuniksavut-type program

Inuit in northern Quebec are a step closer to starting their own post-secondary program similar to the Nunavut Sivuniksavut program in Ottawa.

In partnership with Algonquin College, Nunavut Sivuniksavut prepares young Inuit for post-secondary education and career opportunities created by land claims agreements. The program recently began accepting applications from Inuit outside Nunavut. 

The Kativik School Board, which oversees education for Inuit in Nunavik, posted a job Monday for an education consultant to help develop a curriculum, admissions criteria and find classroom space for a Nunavik Sivuniksavut program.

Jason Annahatak, the school board's director of post-secondary student services, said the project is a joint effort by the school board, the Kativik Regional Government and Makivik Corporation.

Annahatak said John Abbott College in Montreal has been a great partner and will help the education consultant get started. John Abbott is a popular post-secondary school for many Nunavik Inuit already, he said. Courses offered at Nunavik Sivuniksavut would be similar to courses at the Nunavut program in Ottawa, said Annahatak.

"We also want to prepare our students for college. So English writing, Inuit history, the history of Inuit land claims — a Nunavik version of it, teaching the James Bay Northern Quebec agreement and all the historical implications that are associated before and after that," said Annahatak.

"We have ambitious plans and a lot of that will be contingent on how fast that education consultant does their work, and finds the right funding partners and resources and teachers."

Annahatak said a pilot project could be ready by 2016. He said the plan would be to start with a small class of eight to 10 students, similar to how Nunavut Sivuniksavut started 30 years ago.