Latest news with #HarrietKeleutak
CBC
4 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Nunavik's first in-region university program aims to recruit more teachers
Nunavik will soon have its first full-time university program delivered in the region — and it's for aspiring teachers. The region's school board, Kativik Ilisarniliriniq (KI), has received new funding from the province to launch a certificate in education for First Nations and Inuit, in partnership with McGill University. Harriet Keleutak, KI's director general, said their aim is to bring more Inuktut teachers on board. "Every year we're missing 20-plus Inuit teachers, meaning some of our classes are closed most of the time, even though we try to recruit as much as we can," she said. Currently, most teachers do part-time training on-the-job, and that's exclusive to current Kativik Ilisarniliriniq employees. That process can take up to seven years. "That leads to a high turnover because the training is taking too long before they can get their skills," Keleutak said. This new full-time course, starting September 2 in Kuujjuaq, will take two years and is open to all beneficiaries of Nunavik. Last month, the school board partnered with Montreal's John Abbott College to bring some 10-day post-secondary courses to the region. There is currently no college or university campus located in Nunavik. In contrast, all three territories and Labrador have at least one post-secondary institution. Under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, KI doesn't have the administrative jurisdiction to provide post-secondary education by itself. Through her conversations with Quebec's Education Ministry and Makivvik, Keleutak said she's hopeful that a post-secondary institution could be possible in the next decade.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nunavik's first in-region university program aims to recruit more teachers
Nunavik will soon have its first full-time university program delivered in the region — and it's for aspiring teachers. The region's school board, Kativik Ilisarniliriniq (KI), has received new funding from the province to launch a certificate in education for First Nations and Inuit, in partnership with McGill University. Harriet Keleutak, KI's director general, said their aim is to bring more Inuktut teachers on board. "Every year we're missing 20-plus Inuit teachers, meaning some of our classes are closed most of the time, even though we try to recruit as much as we can," she said. Currently, most teachers do part-time training on-the-job, and that's exclusive to current Kativik Ilisarniliriniq employees. That process can take up to seven years. "That leads to a high turnover because the training is taking too long before they can get their skills," Keleutak said. This new full-time course, starting September 2 in Kuujjuaq, will take two years and is open to all beneficiaries of Nunavik. Last month, the school board partnered with Montreal's John Abbott College to bring some 10-day post-secondary courses to the region. There is currently no college or university campus located in Nunavik. In contrast, all three territories and Labrador have at least one post-secondary institution. Under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, KI doesn't have the administrative jurisdiction to provide post-secondary education by itself. Through her conversations with Quebec's Education Ministry and Makivvik, Keleutak said she's hopeful that a post-secondary institution could be possible in the next decade.
CBC
09-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Nunavik school board and some staff ratify collective agreement
Nunavik's school board and some staff have ratified a collective agreement the school board is calling a landmark. In a news release Thursday, school board Kativik Ilisarniliriniq said the agreement with education professionals includes a housing allowance for locally hired staff, a $7,500 signing bonus for Nunavik-based professionals and a yearly $2,600 bonus for returning staff. The board said the new agreement allows criminal background checks on staff during employment to "complement" the ones conducted upon hiring. Kativik Ilisarniliriniq wrote that 95 per cent of union members voted in favour of the agreement. Meanwhile, the school board is still negotiating with a separate union representing teachers and support staff. Kativik Ilisarniliriniq's director general Harriet Keleutak said the board is focused on benefits to ensure it stays competitive in recruiting and retaining staff. Kativik Ilisarniliriniq is Nunavik's only school board and has a mandate to put special focus on protecting and developing Inuit language and culture through the 18 schools and six adult education centres in the region. Kativik Ilisarniliriniq's staff are represented by a couple different unions and have different collective agreements, depending on whether they are teachers, support staff or education professionals. While this agreement is with education professionals, other negotiations are still ongoing. Last week, Radio-Canada reported the Association of Employees in Northern Quebec — the union for teachers — was frustrated by how slow negotiations have been, as talks surrounding their collective agreement entered their 30th month. Larry Imbeault, the association's president, told Radio-Canada at the time the major issue to be resolved was Kativik's plan to change the process for reporting employees' criminal records.
