New Technology Boosts Literacy in Nunavut and Nunavik

Media Release

For Immediate Release

June 6, 2016

New Technology Boosts Literacy in Nunavut and Nunavik

TORONTO – Classrooms in Tasiujaq and Qikiqtarjuaq received a big tech boost this week with the introduction of 60 educational tablets provided by One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Canada and TD Bank Group. The tablets are designed with child learners in mind, featuring over 100 preloaded educational apps and books. Students also have access to cultural content highlighting Aboriginal languages and literature, as well as resources such as the Truth and Reconciliation Report and an interactive history of the Residential School system.

The regional technology roll-out began in January 2016 with a donation of 90 tablets to schools in Pangnirtung and Pond Inlet. Becky Mutch, a Grade 6 teacher in Pangnirtung said “The tablets have become an essential tool to our classroom learning. Not only do they help with classroom management, but they are also a means for students with lower literacy levels to work at the same level as their peers. They have become a daily task when we are working in our literacy centres and have contributed greatly to our balanced literacy in our class.”

Pangnirtung is among 10 Indigenous communities to receive a significant boost in access to technology through a TD sponsorship of $100,000 in 2015-2016.  “We are proud to continue to support OLPC and the growth of this national program which provides Aboriginal youth with the tools and resources they need to enhance their education and literacy skills,” said Clint Davis, Vice President, Aboriginal Banking, TD. “Literacy is an essential component of social and human development. By supporting the development of strong literacy skills at an early age, youth have a better chance of overcoming learning barriers and achieve better health outcomes, higher income, and improved communication skills with other people.”

Founded in 2010, OLPC Canada has provided education technology to more than 10,000 Indigenous students in 65 rural and remote communities located in 9 provinces and 2 territories. With 160 communities and more than 19,000 Indigenous youth on the wait list for the program, there is a persistent need for additional investment in First Nation, Inuit and Metis education.

About One Laptop per Child Canada

One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Canada enhances education for Aboriginal youth with technological tools designed for 21^st century learners. For more information, please contact Jennifer Martino, Executive Director, OLPC Canada (martino@olpccanada.com)or 416-642-5455. www.olpccanada.com

About TD Community Giving

TD Bank Group invests in communities in order to effect positive change in the places where it operates and where its clients and employees live and work. In 2014, TD donated $82 million to community organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In Canada, TD focuses on education and financial literacy, creating opportunities for young people and the environment. For further information, please visit www.td.com/corporate-responsibility.