Teachers across Nunavut are reporting heavier workloads, rising stress and gaps in classroom supports after changes to the federal Inuit Child First Initiative left many requests for student support assistants ineligible for funding.
Funding change removes a key source of casual support staff
The Inuit Child First Initiative, a federal program modelled on Jordan’s Principle intended to ensure Inuit children have equitable access to health, social and educational supports, previously helped cover salaries for casual student support workers in Nunavut schools. In the 2024‑25 school year the program supported the employment of 88 casual student support workers across the territory’s 27 district education authorities, according to figures from Nunavut’s Department of Education.
By the following school year the department approved funding for 75 casual workers. A department spokesperson described this year’s level of casual staffing as a “limited number,” but did not provide a precise figure by publication time.
Classrooms feel the impact
Nunavut Teachers Association president Justin Matchett said the change has been felt in schools where casual student support assistants previously bolstered classroom capacity and helped deliver curriculum, particularly for students requiring accommodations.
“There’s a lot of behaviour needs, a lot of medical diagnoses that need and deserve special attention,” Matchett said. “It definitely causes a lot of stress, burnout and hardship on the teachers when they’re trying to manage all of that on top of teaching the curriculum.”
Student support workers typically work alongside classroom teachers to assist with instruction and manage individual student needs. The removal of predictable funding for those positions has led to fewer casual hires and placed greater responsibility on teachers and the GN’s permanent student support staff.
Where the policy changed
In February 2025, Indigenous Services Canada announced that, except in exceptional circumstances, requests for student support assistants would no longer be eligible for funding under the Inuit Child First Initiative. That decision reduced an important funding route that districts used to staff casual positions.
The Nunavut Employees Union, which represents the GN’s permanent student support staff, has indicated it is not opposed to the government hiring fewer casual student support workers. The union’s position underscores a broader conversation about the balance between permanent and casual staffing, job security, and continuity of care for students.
Practical consequences for communities
Educators and administrators told local media that the loss of casual staff has practical consequences:
- Less one‑on‑one support for students with behavioural or medical needs;
- Increased workload and emotional strain on classroom teachers trying to manage diverse needs while delivering curriculum;
- Potential gaps in continuity when students lose familiar support workers who helped with accommodations.
School communities in Nunavut already face unique challenges related to geography, staffing turnover and access to services. The removal of a reliable funding source for casual supports exacerbates those pressures, according to teachers’ representatives.
Numbers at a glance
| School year | Casual student support workers funded |
|---|---|
| 2024‑25 | 88 |
| 2025‑26 (approved) | 75 |
| 2026‑27 | Described as a limited number by the Department of Education; exact figure not provided |
What officials say
Nunavut’s Department of Education provided the staffing figures for prior years but did not supply a current total for casual student support workers by press time. The department’s characterization that there are a "limited number" of casual staff signals a reduction but leaves communities without precise data to plan around.
Indigenous Services Canada’s policy shift to restrict funding for most student support assistant requests reflects national program priorities, but local education actors say it reduces the flexibility districts had to respond to classroom realities.
Looking ahead
Teachers’ associations and education authorities are likely to continue advocating for funding that covers the kinds of supports Nunavut classrooms have relied upon. For parents and caregivers, the change may mean asking school boards how needs will be met and whether existing permanent staff can accommodate additional caseloads.
For the territory’s largely Inuit student population, consistent and culturally responsive supports in schools are a priority tied to learning outcomes and wellbeing. As funding structures change at the federal level, communities, educators and unions will be watching for measures that restore or replace lost capacity in classrooms.
Reporting for this article included information provided by Nunavut’s Department of Education and public statements from the Nunavut Teachers Association and Indigenous Services Canada. The exact number of casual student support workers currently employed in Nunavut schools was not available at the time of publication.
