The minister of Education has made it official non-natives will be permitted into the Yukon Native Teacher Education Program.

John Edzerza announced this morning six of the 15 spots in the annual YNTEP program will be for non-native applicants.

Last September, Edzerza said he wanted to open five of the 15 spots to non-aboriginal Yukoners who would like to become teachers.

At the time, the minister said the plan was to meet a 2002 election promise made by the Yukon Party to work with Yukon College to create a teacher training program for anybody who wishes to apply.

In this case, the government is not creating a new one but using a program that has existed since 1989. Yukon College operates the program.

In September, Edzerza said he was just floating the idea and wanted to see what the Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) thought of the idea.

'I was asking for them to consider opening up five of these seats for non-native people,' the minister said four months ago.

Today, there was no explanation why an extra seat was opened up for non-aboriginals from what Edzerza had initially proposed.

As for the chief's response, Edzerza said he wouldn't do this without consulting with first nations.

'Of course, this isn't something I would do unilaterally,' said Edzerza. 'I have had support from a number of chiefs (to do this).'

But when asked about it, Edzerza said he had the support of 'two or three' and not the CYFN as a whole.

Edzerza said there was no response received from the CYFN or its chiefs' committee on education.

The minister sent out a letter to the all chiefs a couple of months ago, laying out his plan and asking for responses. The only answers he received were from the 'two or three' who supported it.

Government officials did not release the names of the chiefs who supported the plan.

In September, CYFN Grand Chief Ed Schultz said there would be further discussions on Edzerza's suggestion.

Schultz was unavailable for comment this morning.

Over the past few years, YNTEP has 15 spots available for new students each year to start the four-year program. However, according to the government, the number of students starting the year is between nine and 11.

'There's always a number of positions (available),' the minister said.

Edzerza was asked what would happen if the number of first nation applicants exceeded nine. The minister said the six spots for the non-native students are guaranteed.

He also said the positions for the non-natives will be capped at six.

The minister said the public has been calling on the government to open this program up to non-natives.

'There has been great demand in the non-native society requesting that their children have the opportunity,' said Edzerza.

According to the minister, the curriculum will not change, giving the non-natives a chance to learn a lot about first nations history, culture and heritage.

'We are opening this program to give people more access to this content,' he said. This will give more Yukon students a chance to learn about first nations, he added.

The program is operated at Yukon College in conjunction with the University of Regina. Students graduate with a university degree when they've finished the four years, without leaving the territory.

The possibility of filling the program up to 15 students each year will not cost the government any more money because it pays the university for 15 positions each year.

The government shells out $520,000 a year for this program.

According to the most recent figures the Department of Education had available, dated October 2002, there were 67 graduates of the program, with 31 teaching in the Yukon.

The first graduation class was in 1993.

Another 12 graduates were still teaching, but outside of the territory, and another 20 were out of the profession.

Since those figures were released, another four graduated from the program, taking it up to 71. Of those 71, 32 are teaching in the Yukon.

The 2003 graduating class of four is the smallest on record, with it otherwise ranging between five and nine. Most years, the graduating class consisted of seven.

Ian Oostindie, president of the Yukon Teachers' Association, said the announcement was not a surprise.

He was pleased the minister said the YNTEP advisory committee, on which the teachers' union has a member, will address the details of the changes to the program.

Oostindie said there are a couple of issues which the committee must address: placements for the students to do their practical training and the hiring of the students when they graduate.

Oostindie said the committee must look at how enough spots are available for the teachers to do their training in classes with current teachers who assist them.

'If you increase the number, that question will be more pressing,' he said.

As for the other issue, Oostindie said the government hasn't always hired all the YNTEP grads in recent years and he wants to see how that will be dealt with.