NationTalk: (Iqaluit, Nunavut) Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) and Regional Inuit Organizations announce the formal rollout of the Nunavut Inuit Post-Secondary Education Program (IPSEP) based on the new, jointly developed, Nunavut Inuit Post-Secondary Education Program Policy approved by the NTI Board of Directors in March 2024. Implementation of the unified policy will begin for the 2024 fall semester.
Kitikmeot Inuit Association, Kivalliq Inuit Association, and the Kakivak Association are the designated Regional Delivery Agencies (RDAs) for the program, providing student supports available to Nunavut Inuit across Canada.
“Post-secondary education is crucial for Nunavut Inuit to gain the skills required to lead the territory today, tomorrow, and into the future,” said NTI President Aluki Kotierk. “It is vitally important for NTI and the RDAs to support Inuit fully as they make their way through their learning journeys. The jointly developed policy and guidelines for the IPSE Program will help ensure that Inuit students are not worried about funding for their studies, and instead are able to concentrate on making the most of their post-secondary learning experience.”
The IPSEP initiative is intended to help increase Inuit post-secondary education rates to a level consistent with the non-Indigenous population of Canada. The IPSEP provides assistance to learners in three forms: Direct Financial Support for tuition, living expenses and other costs associated with post-secondary education; Indirect Support such as tutoring and counselling; and Community Engagement including outreach and communication
Our Mission: “Inuit Economic, Social and Cultural Well-being Through Implementation of the Nunavut Agreement”
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The IPSEP is funded by way of a multi-year commitment from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). Makigiaqta Inuit Training Corporation has also committed to contributing up to $5 million per fiscal year between 2023-2025 to address a funding shortfall that the program is experiencing due to the high demand for the program. NTI has called on ISC to fully fund the IPSEP. Until this happens, NTI will continue to advocate for additional funding for the program to ensure that all Nunavut Inuit interested in accessing the program can feel supported in their efforts to further their formal education and improve their lives.
Nunavut Inuit students who require more information on the IPSEP are encouraged to contact their RDA at the following:
Kitikmeot Inuit Association
Phone: (867)-983-2458 ext. 1013
Toll-free: 1-833-854-0062
Website:https://www.kitia.ca/contact/
Kivalliq Inuit Association
Phone: (867) 645-5725
Toll-free: 1-800-220-6581
Website: https://www.kivalliqinuit.ca/contact-2/
Kakivak Association (Qikiqtaaluk Region)
Phone: (867) 979-0911
Toll-free: 1-800-561-0911
Website: https://www.kakivak.ca/en/contact
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Media Contact:
Ivaluarjuk Merritt
Director of Communications
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
media@tunngavik.com