Alfred Moses

From my side of things, we have graduated 12 social workers in the diploma program over the last three years, so on average it's about four students a year, and I think we can get that information in terms of how many have gone into employment within the Department of Health and Social Services and provide that with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I don't have the exact numbers right now. As I mentioned, I will be meeting with the board of governors this weekend. We will be looking at bringing some of these concerns forward. They are obviously listening this week very closely, and we can get the numbers for the Member.

The access program itself helps prepare students to get into a social work program or into other programs that Aurora College provides, or even other institutions. The students who are currently affected in the current access program who did show an interest into social work, the Aurora College staff have met with them and have come up with other plans, other career paths that they might want to take, and my understanding is that all five students have worked with the college to develop a new career path that they're looking at.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to make it clear that both the social work program and the Teacher Education Program are being phased out. I mean, the students that are in both programs are still going to get the support that they need to complete the studies that they are currently in. The teachers are going to get the support they need so they can support the students for that success. We are still going to be waiting on that strategic plan coming out, but this was one program that was identified. When I mentioned earlier, are we getting the biggest bang for the investments that we are...

We are having those discussions with the superintendents right now on how things are going to be rolling out in the fall. We have still got to see what enrolments there are in the school boards. Those final decisions have not been made. I know they are going out doing the enrolments, trying to get students coming to their schools and to their boards. We do not know what those numbers are yet. When we do, we will be working on having that smooth transition for junior kindergarten in the fall. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will be meeting with the board of governors. I will bring up the request on behalf of the president, and I will get back to the Member.

As I mentioned, the education boards and education councils make their own decisions. We provide funding, and those are decisions that are on the board.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This was the first year that a Minister has given the board of governors a mandate letter to go out and do the work on behalf of residents of the Northwest Territories in working within the Aurora College system. We can get copies of the mandate letter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Those decisions are going to have to be made as we look at the strategic review that is currently under way. We are in an academic school year right now. As well, we continue to provide a lot of great programming through Student Financial Assistance to support our students going through the programs and services that Aurora College currently provides.

We made the announcement that we're going to be funding the remainder of the communities in the House here. With inclusive schooling, we're still funding inclusive schooling above the legislated percentage that we do. Funding models haven't changed, and we are looking at a revised approach where we are clarifying rules, expectations, and processes with inclusive schooling; but we're still funding it above what we're legislated to do, and that hasn't changed at all.