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Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day

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Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day

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On October 28, 2025, Nunavut will proudly celebrate the second Annual Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day. This special day, held on the last Tuesday of October each year, began in 2024 as a way to formally recognize and thank licensed child care centre staff across Nunavut.

Early childhood Educator (ECE) are known for their dedication and passion. Their work is deeply woven into the fabric of our communities, and they spend a substantial amount of time with children at a crucial developmental stage in children’s lives.

The nurturing environment that ECEs provide enables the children that they work to shape our future and they are helping to raise children into capable and whole people.

It has been said that it takes a village ti raise a child. ECEs play a pivotal role in laying the foundation of lifelong learnings, instilling values that our children can follow.

Join Nunavummiut this October 28th to honour and celebrate ECEs across the territory.! Celebration materials and updates will be shared ahead of time on this page to support centres and communities in planning their own appreciation activities.

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Nunavut gov’t, teachers union ratify new collective agreement.

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Nunavut gov’t, teachers union ratify new collective agreement.

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Agreement promises wage increases and language bonus

The government of Nunavut and Nunavut teachers association have ratified a new collective agreement with several incremental wage increases until med-2028

Teacher will receive a nine per cent wage increase when the agreement comes into effect in July and another three per cent increase in July 2026 and July 2027.

Teacher will also become eligible for bonuses for continuous service, like other employees for the territorial government and enhanced pay for inuktut language skill.

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Nunavuts new early learning and child care act 

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Nunavuts new early learning and child care act 

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Nunavut’s early learning and child care programs area accessible , affordable , inclusive and rooted in Inuit culture and language

Significant step forward in prioritizing the well-being and education on Nunavut children , the act also introduce critical updates

We conducted consultations in 14 communities: Arviat, Coral Harbour, Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, Pond Inlet, Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay, Sanikiluaq, Iqaluit, Pangnirtung, Gjoa Haven, Igloolik, and Kimmirut. These discussions involved a range of stakeholders, including families, early childhood educators, Inuit organizations, and local leaders. Additionally, 199 online survey responses provided valuable insights to ensure the proposed legislation supports high-quality, Inuit-centred early learning and child care

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Dimensions of the Nunavut Early Learning and Child CareQuality Framework.

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Dimensions of the Nunavut Early Learning and Child CareQuality Framework.

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The child is then centre,of the heart,of the Nunavut Early Learning and child care Quality Framework. Children who are able to grow and learn in nurturing communities cab build, healthy relationships and developed own unique gifts and capabilities.

As children makes sense of their place in the world and their relationships with all living things, their identities begin to take shape and their unique gift and capabilities emerge

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Once brought into force, the new legislation will ensure that Nunavut’s early learning and child care programs area accessible, affordable, inclusive, and rooted in Inuit culture, values and language. This represents a significant step forward in prioritizing the well-being and education of Nunavut children. The Act also introduces critical updates, including

Improved licensing requirements and duties for operators to enhanced safety and accountability.

Creation of the early learning and childcare council.

Expanded accessibility, affordability, and inclusivity for family across the territory.

Enhanced support for the well-being of children, caregivers and educators.

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This Nunavut profile captures early learning and childcare initiatives to March 31, 2020.

As part of its Education business Plan 2019-2022 the Department of Education has prioritized updating the childcare act and regulations. The Canada-Nunavut Early Learning and Child Care agreement 2017-2020 provided Nunavut with approximately 7.2 million for early learning and childcare over 3 years. The funding agreement was extended to March 2021. Inuit, Métis and First Nations people residing in Nunavut also receive funding under the 10 year 1.2 billion federal agreement for early learning and childcare for First Nations. Starting in 2018-2019, up to 111 million over 11 years is being made available through the Inuit early learning and childcare agreement to support culturally-responsive early learning and childcare for Inuit families. The program is managed in partnership with Inuit leaders.

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MAR 15, 2025 – 9:30 AM EDT

Nunavut’s need for post-secondary education legislation
Letters | Qaujigiartiit director makes the case for Nunavut institutions to provide university-level training

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Nunavut’s need for post-secondary education legislation

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Nunavut’s need for post-secondary education legislation

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As Canada’s youngest territory celebrated its 25th anniversary, Nunavut continues to stand alone as the only jurisdiction in Canada without post-secondary education legislation outside of the Nunavut Arctic College Act.

This legislative gap represents a fundamental barrier to self-determination and a missed opportunity to harness the immense knowledge and capacity that exists within our territory.

For the past 19 years, the community-led Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre in Iqaluit has operated like a “mini university” — without the ability to grant a degree. In this time, Qaujigiartiit has brought more than $60 million in research and training funding into Nunavut.

The centre is independent and does not have any affiliation with a university or government. It does not even have core funding.

Despite chronic underfunding and a national granting system that privileges the ‘U15’ (the 15 largest research universities in Canada), Qaujigiartiit has been successful to date because of the spirit of collaboration across Nunavut to achieve what we as community members know in our hearts to be possible.

Our people are our greatest strength. Having more post-secondary options in our territory would help us harness that strength.

Nunavummiut deserve the best possible education from early childhood to graduate school. A university and degree-granting capability — simply having the ability to provide university credits for Nunavut-led education and training — are an important part of the learning continuum.

The absence of a post-secondary education act has created a paradoxical situation where community-led educational institutions must seek validation from southern universities to accredit programs that are deeply rooted in Inuit knowledge and teaching approaches.

This requirement for external validation runs counter to the very principles of self-determination that led to the creation of Nunavut.

Our territory possesses rich educational traditions and innovative approaches to learning that deserve recognition in their own right. Yet without proper legislative recognition, these valuable knowledge systems must continually seek legitimacy through southern institutions that may not fully grasp their significance.

The impact of this legislative void extends beyond philosophical concerns. Each year, many Nunavummiut who wish to pursue post-secondary education must leave the territory to do so.

This exodus of talent creates both personal and community challenges as students face the additional burdens of geographical displacement and cultural adjustment alongside their academic pursuits.

Nunavut Arctic College is our only post-secondary institution and has demonstrated innovation in delivering community- and culturally-relevant programs throughout the territory.

More institutions in Nunavut, like Qaujigiartiit, as well as Pirurvik and others, can provide both undergraduate and graduate-level training but are prevented from providing credits by the current legislative gap — unless a university outside of the territory is the partner.

The time has come for Nunavut to join every other Canadian jurisdiction in establishing comprehensive post-secondary education legislation. Such legislation would empower our institutions to develop and deliver programs that reflect our unique context and needs, validate our educational approaches such as land-based learning, and support the growth of home-grown academic.

This is not merely about administrative alignment with other Canadian jurisdictions — it’s about recognizing and enabling Nunavut’s capacity to shape our collective educational future.

As we look toward the next quarter-century of territorial development, establishing a post-secondary education act must be a priority. Our youth — our children and grandchildren — deserve the opportunity to pursue higher education that honours who they are while preparing them for the challenges of tomorrow, right here in Nunavut.

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CBC News

Bilingual Inuktitut Education not being used properly implement In Nunavut, report finds.

The report found a lack of sufficient resources and not enough appropriate teaching spaces.

A new report has found that bilingual Inuktitut education is not being properly implemented in Nunavut schools and Child care centres

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/report-finds-bilingual-inuktitut-education-not-being-properly-implemented-in-nunavut-1.7542169

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Bilingual Inuktitut education not being properly implemented in Nunavut, report finds | CBC News

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A new report found that bilingual Inuktitut education is not being properly implemented in Nunavut schools.

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Being bilingual plays a major role in Nunavut, it is important that we speak our languages at home, in daycares, and in schools so that our children can speak and pass on to the next generation. If we must ask what we don’t understand, we can always ask anyone around us. It is found in the article on CBC News that Bilingual Inuktitut education is not being properly implemented in Nunavut. Stating the shifting from Inuktitut to English is too abrupt. The Early Childhood Education Program has a huge role of revitalizing all of that by grouping Inuit pupils that are Eager to learn about teach young Children by reading a book out loud, or teaching them simple words and definitions in Inuktitut by placing them in day-cares.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/report-finds-bilingual-inuktitut-education-not-being-properly-implemented-in-nunavut-1.7542169

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Provide a title/topic

Provide a short summary approx 3-5 sentences about what your news article references

How does this impact ECE in Nunavut? (what affect does this have)

Share your “news” by coping the link into your response.

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EXAMPLE: Nunavut Tests Full- Day Kindergarten

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EXAMPLE: Nunavut Tests Full- Day Kindergarten

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This article refers to a pilot program happening this year (2023-2024) where a handful of schools across the territory are piloting full-day kindergarten. If this proves successful, then 5 year- olds in the territory could go to school all day instead of for a half a day. This impacts the pressure on ECE centres to take children for half days, and helps parents with daycare. The children however benefit most with access to learning in a school setting and social opportunities with peers!

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Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet and Inuglak School in Whale Cove are two of five schools testing full-day kindergarten in the territory for the 2023-24 school year.

The pilot program is the first step to help guide a phased system-wide rollout, the Department of Education told Kivalliq News in an email.

"Piloting the expansion of FDK (full-day kindergarten) in five select schools will help to ensure that the expanded programming is beneficial for students and staff," stated the department.

A working group, comprising Inuit educators and kindergarten teachers from across Nunavut, was established to develop recommendations on how to use the additional instruction time to ensure that full-day kindergarten offers an "educationally beneficial" experience for students.

To that end, the working group has recommended that the program promote a holistic, integrated approach grounded in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangiit principles; be play-based; emphasize additional instructional time in the Inuit language, literacy and numeracy; and prioritize learning across a range of areas including physical, social and emotional health and wellness.

The other schools participating in the trial run are Nanook School in Apex, Qaqqalik School in Kimmirut and Jimmy Hikok Ilihakvik in Kugluktuk.

As for Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet, the school has seen some physical changes to accommodate the program, including installation of a new sink, patched walls and new furniture. As of early October, there were six students registered in the program.

"The FDK program is well supported by the Chesterfield Inlet DEA and parents," stated the department in an email. "Parents have said that the FDK is a blessing. Parents who work are happy and some parents are also at the school working."

For Whale Cove, the school has seen several physical changes to accommodate full-day kindergarten including new bathroom accessories, a new door, new toilet and sink and new furniture.

"The program is taught by a qualified teacher who attended the FDK training in Iqaluit," stated the department. "Our teacher feedback is that the training was a good opportunity for her to learn more about teaching and learning at kindergarten level."

There were 13 students enrolled in the program at the Whale Cove school as of press time.

Currently, not all schools in Nunavut have the required space or resources to support full-day kindergarten, said the department, which is developing a long-term plan for the sustainable implementation of the program in all schools.

Phase 2 of the rollout will see the department focus on schools that would be the most cost-effective options in terms of renovations. Currently, the department is considering schools in seven communities for the second phase of the rollout.

"Lessons learned from the pilot will be used to inform the Department of Education's long-term plan and ensure that all schools in Nunavut are adequately prepared to offer full-day kindergarten in their communities," stated the department.

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Stewart Burnett - Local Journalism Initiative reporter

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Nunavut tests full-day kindergarten - NUNAVUT NEWS

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Chesterfield Inlet, Whale Cove schools part of initiative