'A very challenging time': What 2-plus years under a pandemic meant for N.W.T. student progress
CBC
For many students graduating in the Northwest Territories this year, more than half of their time in high school was spent under the dark cloud of COVID-19.
This meant school closures, cancelled extracurriculars, lost travel opportunities and months of remote learning.
"It kind of feels like I missed out on a chunk of what being a teenager felt like," said Sarah Chinna, who just finished Grade 12 at Chief T'Selehye School in Fort Good Hope, N.W.T.
Chinna said school disruptions and remote learning affected her classmates differently.
For some, it was easier to do schoolwork at home.
For others, it was hard not having anyone around who could help them with assignments.
The pandemic's impact on student progress in the Northwest Territories isn't yet fully understood.
One way to examine it could be through the graduation rate, but N.W.T. educators suggest this doesn't paint a complete picture.
Cindi Vaselenak, the superintendent of education and CEO of Yellowknife Education District No. 1 (YK1), said it will be some time before educators can determine the extent of COVID-19's repercussions on student achievement.
She said there was no significant change in graduation rates at YK1.
Last week, CBC News reached out to several principals, education bodies, the territorial department of Education, Culture and Employment, and non-governmental organizations to get a better sense of how more than 28 months under a pandemic affected N.W.T. students' learning and progress.
Most educators agreed that the pandemic had a significant impact on student life, and that a lot of students struggled. Many also commended students for their hard work and resiliency through this extraordinary period in history.
"It's been a very challenging time for the graduates and families, but their perseverance is amazing," said Lorraine Kuer, assistant superintendent at the Sahtu Divisional Education Council.
The Sahtú region had 19 graduates this year, down about five from the average over the last eight years, said Kuer.
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