This News Release is also available in Inuktitut (PDF 96 KB)
Iqaluit, 19 November 2013—The Department of Education has not adequately managed most aspects of the implementation of the Education Act, says the Auditor General of Canada, Michael Ferguson, in his report presented to the Nunavut Legislative Assembly today. The audit looked at what the Department of Education has done to implement the Education Act since it was passed in 2008, including provisions related to bilingual education, curriculum, student assessment, inclusive education, attendance, and parental involvement.
“The Department has yet to put in place all the components needed to implement the Education Act,” said Mr. Ferguson. “As it stands, the requirement to have bilingual education offered to all students by 2019–2020 will not be met.”
The audit found that the Department had an implementation plan but underestimated the effort required to carry out such a significant undertaking. Additional teaching resources are required to deliver the curriculum, and more support is required for teachers to provide inclusive education to students with differing abilities in the same classroom. In addition, the lack of qualified bilingual teachers has hindered progress toward meeting the provision for bilingual education.
Though some of the challenges faced by the Department in implementing the Act are within its control, others are not. For example, low attendance is a serious problem in Nunavut, and it cannot be resolved by the Department alone.
“Implementing the Education Act will require effort not only from the Department, but also from parents, students, and the community,” said Mr. Ferguson. “The upcoming Legislative Review will provide an opportunity to examine the Act, progress made in implementing it, and related changes.”
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