Alfred Moses

As a government, we fund all our education authorities to the tune of about $152 million. What they do with that money is decisions based on the board. That is something that the board is going to have to make, that decision, moving forward.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Those discussions, we are having right now with the departments and all the boards. If it is needed this fall, we will make sure that that funding is available, as I mentioned in the statement. We could be coming back for a sup to make sure that funding is available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, I will move that Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Over the last three years we've had 12 graduates come out of that program. Currently, there are 17 students who are enrolled in year one and 17 students enrolled in year two. We're working with them and continue to support them through the rest of their studies. If you simply divide the cost of the program by the number of students, the cost is approximately about $13,000 per student. However, if you look at it from an academic outcome perspective, how many students are we graduating, that would be about $112,000 per graduate that we put through that program.

Yes, and I can also pull up some documentation in which I believe we did send all Members of this Legislative Assembly an e-mail talking about the strategy and giving input into the strategy, as well as going on the Aurora College website to give input into that as well.

Right across government we're looking at how we can better spend our dollars more efficiently and, you know, evaluating the overall costs of programming is part of good planning and management. Some of the programs with very few graduates and a full complement of staff is not fiscally responsible. The department did work with Aurora College to see where we can better efficiently spend our dollars through the contribution agreements that we have with them and those targets were set by that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We currently have a contract with a third party consultant that's going out talking to key stakeholders on what they want to see presented to Aurora College programming and the strategic plan that they're developing. We have a third party consultant that's doing all that work. Once that report is done, it will be presented to Aurora College, the board of governors, as well as our department. Once we get that strategy, that report, we will share it with Regular Members to get their input, as well. I do know that Members have been asked to do a questionnaire and a survey...

As I mentioned after the Budget Address, we did reach out to the superintendents and we're working with the school boards to see how we're going to roll out this funding, and we did make that commitment to fully fund junior kindergarten, so those are discussions that are happening right now.

We are still waiting for that strategic plan, so we're not sure what's in it yet. Once we do find the strategic plan is developed, we will share it with committee to move forward. I still have to say that we do have one of the best Student Financial Assistance programs in the country, and we continue to support our students who want to go and get an education to other institutions and give them the support that they need to succeed, as well.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are intending to roll out junior kindergarten in all the schools across the Northwest Territories this fall school year. I just want to emphasize again that it is optional for parents and families to enrol their kids. Thank you.