Montreal, Qc. (April 11, 2018) – As a follow-up to an announcement made in November 2017, Kativik Ilisarniliriniq is glad to confirm that the Quebec Ministry of Education has now issued a Secondary School Diploma (SSD) to each of the Nunavik students who had received an Attestation of Equivalence of Secondary Studies from the Ministry of education between 2015 and 2017. The diplomas were sent to each student by mail. The mailing was completed on March 23, 2018.

In January 2018, the Ministry of Education updated the official, electronic academic record for each student to reflect that each now holds a Secondary School Diploma. This record is used by colleges, CEGEPs, universities and vocational training schools when examining admission requests for the programs they offer.

Prior to 2015, Nunavik high school graduates were issued an SSD by the Ministry of Education. Between 2015 and 2017, Nunavik students who completed their secondary school studies successfully were issued an AESS by the Ministry of Education. These students were issued an AESS despite the fact that they were being taught the same Mathematics and Science programs as students who were issued an SSD prior to 2015.

“In terms of learning and program content, there was no objective reason to justify that an AESS and not an SSD would have been delivered by the Ministry of Education to the students who graduated between 2015 and 2017,” said Robert Watt, President of Kativik Ilisarniliriniq. “We are happy that the Minister of Education was able to correct the situation at our request”, he added.

About us:

Kativik Ilisarniliriniq was created in 1975, under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA). Since 1978, it has been the exclusive provider of educational services to all Nunavik residents. Under the JBNQA, the school board also acts as an institution with unique powers and jurisdiction geared towards the protection and development of the Inuit language, culture, and way of life, through the delivery of tailored educational services and programs. The education programs developed by the school board are offered in all schools of the 14 Nunavik communities, in Inuktitut as first language and in French and English as second languages. The school board operates 17 primary and secondary schools as well as 5 adult education centres and a pre-college facility. More information can be found at: www.kativik.qc.ca

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For information, please contact:

Jade Duchesneau-Bernier
Communications Coordinator
514-482-8220 ext. 309 | publicrelations@kativik.qc.ca