NunatuKavut Community Council is closer to its goal of providing more education in Inuttut and Traditional knowledge in schools after recently signing a memorandum of understanding to do just that, said Todd Russell, the President.
The Council and NL government and the Province’s English school District signed the Memorandum to strengthen ties on education and plan curriculum changes on Friday. The agreement lays out objectives and a 30-day deadline to establish a working group to act on them.
Amy Hudson, the councils chief governance officer said having traditional, knowledge and history in schools can help transform the education system for the better.
She added that strengthening is another opportunity to ensure that our children, or learners and youths to see themselves and their culture and their values reflected in what they learn in the classroom and learn.
The working will develop curriculum in NunatuKavut Inuit. Develop resources that address the experiences NunatuKavut Inuit within the residential school system and explore the creation Inuttut education.
The NL English School District agrees. Tina White the district’s assistant director of schools for Labrador said, that there is growing focus on Indigenous education in the province as well as a recognition that’s increasing students tradition and connecting learning to real life requires resources that reflect the languages, tradition and cultures in the province.
White said it is very important as we move forward that our staff and our students will have the ability to really learn our own stories.
The NunatuKavut Community Council Indigeneity have been questioned by the Innu Nation., Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Nunatsiavut Government. When asked, Hudson wouldn’t say whether the curriculum address the dispute, but said the education can create bridges.
Hudson added she sees education an important opportunity healing and to grow as humans and citizens and to really create mutual respect to all people and it’s my hope the inclusion of Inuit in the past of the world and in this part of the province will be a benefit to everyone.