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.

ECE invited key education partners, including Indigenous Governments, Education Bodies, and the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association to attend personalized engagement and consultation sessions, and posted an open invitation for the public to ‘Have Their Say’ by completing a web form on the ECE website.

In total, 41 sessions were held, and several web forms were received, with interested parties’ ideas, questions, and concerns gathered around the renewal of the JK-12 school curriculum.

ECE analyzed participants’ feedback and found that five main themes emerged: The Importance of Indigenous Ways; High School Transitions; Rigour in the Curriculum; Accountability for Learning; and Key Learning for Life.

The full What We Heard Report on NWT JK-12 Curriculum Renewal can be viewed here.

Feedback generated from these sessions will help inform ECE Minister R.J. Simpson’s decision around a western provincial partnership for the JK-12 school curriculum, which is expected in late 2021.

The renewal of the JK-12 curriculum is a large process, one that will not happen overnight. ECE will continue to engage with key education partners throughout, including implementation planning, teacher training, classroom resources, and large-scale assessment measures.

Quote(s)

“The 19th Legislative Assembly is committed to improving student education outcomes in the Northwest Territories and renewing the Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 curriculum is a key step in meeting that priority. I greatly appreciate the important feedback we received from Indigenous Governments, our education partners and the public. The Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 curriculum must be a curriculum that is grounded in Indigenous world views, reflects the identities of northern children and supports them in becoming capable people.”

- R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment

Quick facts

• ECE began preliminary research in 2019 to explore the curriculum of the western Canadian provinces in an effort to determine which province was best aligned with 34 longstanding NWT education priorities.
• After completing the preliminary research, in 2020 ECE began a deeper exploration into the renewal of the NWT JK-12 school curriculum and curricular alignment specific to the jurisdictions of Alberta and British Columbia.
• The NWT’s JK-12 school curriculum, much of which is adopted from Alberta Education at the high school level, is outdated; Alberta is also in the process of changing its entire K-12 curriculum, therefore change in the NWT is inevitable.
• Regardless of which provincial jurisdiction the NWT partners with, implementing a new curriculum will be a phased-in approach over 3-5 years, and key education partners will play an active role.
• The Government of the NWT (GNWT) is committed to implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action and the United Nation's Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Ensuring an alignment between this commitment to Indigenous perspectives, culture, and languages and the curricula used in the NWT is an important step to meeting the commitment.

Related links

• JK-12 Curriculum Renewal – What We Heard Report
• JK-12 Curriculum Renewal - What We Learned So Far
• JK-12 Curriculum Renewal Presentation

For media requests, please contact:

Christina Carrigan

Acting Manager, Public Affairs and Communications

Department of Education, Culture and Employment

Government of the Northwest Territories

christina_carrigan@gov.nt.ca