Lack of high school courses delays Nunavut student's ability to become a nurse

I don't think that the schools see much potential in Inuit students. Farron Greenlee always liked to study. The Cambridge Bay student scored perfect grades in all but one of her grade 11 courses, currently blemish, if you can call it that, and 95 in social studies. And for most of her life, she dreamed of going to university and becoming a nurse. Now in grade 12, she's learned a tough lesson about her goal. She's not getting the same education as students in Southern schools. Next year now, I'm going to take an upgrading year at a college. Most nursing schools require an advanced chemistry course that is offered in grade 12 of most high schools, but not in Cambridge Bay or 19 other Nunavut communities. In fact, the course is only available in five Nunavut high schools. Nunavut's Education Minister David Akiyagak was asked about this here at the Legislative Assembly last week. The GN aims to deliver the same education across Nunavut, but he says filling the teacher vacancies has been a challenge. We don't have that luxury right now with our 46 schools that are here in Nunavut. Nunavut started the school year with more than 120 teacher positions vacant, at least to cancel classes and, according to one education watchdog, limit students' future. If a student can't access a course required for college or university, then they may not be able to graduate. They may not be able to pursue their dreams. And for Greenlee, applying for a year in a Southern college to get the education she should already have feels unfair. And I don't think that it should be this hard for the next students that have to also do this because these classes aren't offered. But despite all, Greenlee is still determined to become a nurse and come back to Nunavut in hopes to make her territory a better place. Artie Sarkissian, CBC News, Iqaluit.