A number of stakeholders in a northern Saskatchewan post-secondary program are responding to a recent provincial funding cut.
Supporters of the Northern Teacher Education Program (NORTEP) gathered for a day-long meeting in La Ronge, Sask., on Thursday.
READ MORE: NORTEP students protest provincial funding cuts in northern Saskatchewan
The program offers students a chance to earn an education degree without leaving northern Saskatchewan.
Earlier this year the Saskatchewan government announced the end of a $3.4-million grant for the program.
Supporters say they’re worried about the program being consolidated with another institution.
“We do feel that as northern people and certainly as part of indigenous control of indigenous education, we should have autonomy over this program,” April Chiefcalf, who is a NORTEP instructor, said.
“NORTEP is important and NORTEP needs to stay in the north in order to allow aboriginal people of the north to be leaders of tomorrow in Canada,” added Joan Strong, who is a NORTEP board member
NORTEP has operated in La Ronge since 1976.
Joel Senick contributed to this story