By Bryan Eneas

Northlands College takes over NORTEP-NORPAC program

Mar 15, 2017 | 12:35 PM

The Ministry of Advanced Education has decided Northlands College will take over the programming provided by NORTEP-NORPAC.

“The announcement follows an evaluation process that considered a broad spectrum of priorities for Saskatchewan’s post-secondary sector,” a statement issued by the ministry said.

The Gabriel Dumont Institute (GDI), which operates the Southern Urban Native Teacher Education Program will take the lead during the transition period.

“I’m looking forward to having GDI play a crucial role in working with Northlands College and providing teacher education programming in the north,” Bronwyn Eyre, Minister of Advanced Education said. “With GDI’s experience in teacher education and Northlands’ deep roots in La Ronge, the opportunity exists for a strong partnership.”

Northlands College has provided post-secondary education in the north for 40 years, according to the release from the government of Saskatchewan.

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“Its experience and relationships, together with its presence in La Ronge and other communities in northern Saskatchewan, will be important in the transition,” the statement reads.

The ministry plans on working closely with Northlands College to ensure all students enrolled in the NORTEP program “experience minimal changes,” and allow students to finish their programming under the same “terms and conditions they had when they entered.”

The NORTEP-NORPAC program will conclude on July 31.

The NORTEP-NORPAC program provides teachers to the northern regions and bring these same people arts and science programs. The 38-year-program recently had its funding pulled to be redirected to other post-secondary institutions. Critics worried this move would hurt northern communities, force northern students to leave their homes and study or work elsewhere, and goes against federal Truth and Reconcilliation Recommendations related to education.

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