The Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) is now accepting proposals for NWT Arts Council funding from artists and organizations planning visual, literary, media and performing arts projects, artwork, or events in the Northwest Territories (NWT) from April 2022 to March 2023.

Application deadline: February 28, 2022

The maximum funding amount is $15,000 and must be spent by March 31, 2023. In response to COVID-19, proposals can include virtual/online events, presentations, or showcases.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) is excited to announce a new exhibit featuring the artwork of Germaine Arnattaujuq is now on view at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre (PWNHC).

The exhibit is on display until May 29, 2022 and can be viewed Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.

January Diploma Exams for Northwest Territories’ (NWT) students have been cancelled due to the recent change in students’ return to school dates after the holiday break and the evolving COVID-19 situation.

This decision applies to the January 2022 exams only. Decisions around the April and June diploma exams and the Alberta Achievement Tests (AATs) will be made at a later date.

Over the holiday season the number of COVID-19 cases, including the Omicron variant, has increased throughout Canada and in the Northwest Territories (NWT) and there has been significant travel both in and out of the NWT. With the increased risk of transmission, and the current state of COVID-19 cases throughout Canada, the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) has recommended that schools remain closed for the first week of January. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment supports the recommendation, and all NWT education bodies have agreed to it.

The Honourable R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), met virtually with education leaders on Dec. 14 to provide an update on several ECE initiatives to improve student outcomes in the Northwest Territories (NWT). The ongoing COVID-19 situation was also discussed, including vaccines for children aged 5-11, impacts to Diploma Exams, and Christmas travel protocols for educators.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) released its Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) What We Heard and Funding Programs Review reports today.

Work to create a new polytechnic university for the Northwest Territories (NWT) took a significant step forward with the unanimous passage of Bill 30: An Act to Amend the Aurora College Act by the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories on December 8, 2021.

The new legislation sets the stage for the creation of a truly arm’s length post-secondary institution – a feature for the governance of the new polytechnic that the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has repeatedly heard is a priority for NWT residents. 

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has extended the proposal deadline for the Early Childhood Infrastructure Fund (ECIF) to January 17, 2022. This extension provides applicants with additional time to complete their proposals.

The ECIF provides funding for projects that are required to preserve existing infrastructure of licensed centre-based child care spaces or create new licensed centre-based child care spaces in NWT communities.

Minister R.J. Simpson and British Columbia (BC) Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside are pleased to announce that the Northwest Territories (NWT) will partner with BC for the renewal of the Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 (JK-12) school curriculum and assessments. This decision is the result of extensive research, analysis, and more than 40 consultation and engagement sessions with Indigenous governments, education bodies, the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association (NWTTA) and educators.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) has released a What We Heard Report that presents the findings from an engagement and consultation process into the renewal of the Northwest Territories (NWT) Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 (JK-12) school curriculum and possibilities for a western provincial partnership. These findings will help to inform decisions made about the NWT JK-12 school curriculum and future partnerships.