“What We Heard Report: NWT Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 Curriculum Renewal” 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. 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.
Of the five themes that emerged from what participants said in the Indigenous Government consultation and education partner engagement process, the two strongest themes were:
- Importance of Indigenous Ways and
- High School Transitions.
Participants from all sessions stressed the importance of having Dene, Inuvialuit, NWT Cree, and Métis, perspectives, priorities, content, and practices throughout the curriculum. Many participants also wanted assurance that a new curriculum would adequately prepare students for post-secondary schooling, the trades, and workplace employment so that students could achieve their goals.
Specific feedback included highlighting the importance of:
- prioritizing Indigenous knowledge over any new curriculum
- the inclusion of Indigenous ceremonies, traditions, and music
- the inclusion of spiritual activities and cultural protocols
- the ongoing commitment to revitalizing the capacity for young people to speak their heritage language
- the reciprocal relationship between education and health and wellness among Indigenous families and communities
- choosing curriculum that clearly offers ways to educate students on local Indigenous history, perspectives, and worldviews.
Participants affirmed the commitment made by