Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in and the Government of Yukon have signed a renewed Section 17.7 Education Agreement to strengthen co-governance of education in Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Traditional Territory.
The new agreement builds on and replaces the first 17.7 Education Agreement (signed in 2013) and fulfills the commitments made in the Letter of Agreement signed by both governments in August 2024. It sets out shared priorities to:
- co-govern education programs and services in Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Traditional Territory;
- improve educational outcomes for all students; and
- ensure that education fully reflects Dënezhu ways of knowing, doing and being, as well as Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in culture, history and Hän language.
This renewed agreement is a significant step toward ensuring that Yukon schools meet the needs of Yukon First Nations students and give all students the opportunity to learn about Yukon First Nations cultures, histories and languages within Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Traditional Territory.
This renewed Section 17.7 agreement reflects the strong, government-to-government education partnership that the Government of Yukon and Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in have been building for more than a decade. This is an important step forward in reconciliation and in creating an inclusive education system where every learner can thrive.
- Minister of Education Jeanie McLean
Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in remains committed to full implementation of our Self-Government Agreement, including the objectives described in Section 17.7 pertaining to shared responsibility for the design, delivery and administration of educational programs delivered within our traditional territory. We expect the same commitment from our partners within Yukon Government and are excited to continue leading the way in delivering true co-governance of education for generations of learners to come.
- Hähkè Darren Taylor Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in
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Section 17.7 in the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Self-Government Agreement guarantees the right to negotiate the division and sharing of responsibility for the design, delivery and administration of education programs in Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Traditional Territory.
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The 2013 Section 17.7 Agreement created an Education Oversight Committee, with equal representation from both governments and a joint work plan to integrate Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in culture, history and language in schools.
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The 2025 renewed agreement reflects years of collaboration and honours the vision of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Land Claims Working Group, which sought to create a single, unified education system in Dawson where Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in and non-Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in students could learn together in a culturally rich environment.
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The renewed agreement supports and advances the shared education priorities set out in the Joint Education Action Plan (JEAP), which focuses on improving outcomes for Indigenous learners, increasing cultural safety in schools and strengthening Yukon First Nations involvement in education planning and decision-making.
