Jackson Lafferty

When I refer to group, it’s the team that’s in my department with the school boards that we’re working with, because we have to gather information and data from them and the consultant that collects all the information. So that is the team that we’re working with, and that information we’re hoping to be completed by the end of the fiscal year. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. With the projection of the enrolments, as the Member alluded to earlier, the enrolments are going down and we do have our department working on a five-year plan. Not only that, but we do have a consultant that’s working on the 10-year education facility plan for Yellowknife, all schools. So those are areas that we’re very concerned about, the enrolment and how we can deal with those issues and come out with solutions. So those are the areas of focus that we have with our department.

Mr. Speaker, it is a territorial-wide challenge with some of these older facilities. So those are the areas that we need to highlight and my department has been working closely with the school boards to identify those areas barrier-free and try to identify some areas of funding, if that is required, working closely with the school boards. There are also parental advisory committees that we work closely with as well. Apparently there is funding allocated as well. Those are the areas that we need to discuss as a group. We will certainly talk further on this particular item. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, increasing literacy levels among the people of the Northwest Territories is a top priority for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. We recognize the importance of literacy across the lifespan and throughout society. Literacy is not so much a matter of whether or not people can read, but rather about how well they can read and use different kinds of information. The NWT Literacy Strategy, Towards Literacy 2008-2010, focuses on helping people lead fulfilling lives and contribute to society. The new strategy represents the ongoing commitment of the...

Mr. Speaker, this is the Dehcho Divisional Education Council policy, the residence program that they have. There are certain criteria that they follow and that the parents would have to be residing in the district. So that’s the policy that they fall under and we continue to support those policies that are in place. Then again, if there needs to be some discussion on potential changes, then the MLA can certainly, myself as well can, sit down with the district education authority or the council on how it could be changed. But the final decision lies with the board. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It is unfortunate that the student had to drop out of school. Certainly our view is to have success in all students. There are certain protocols that we need to follow. One of the protocols is to work closely with district education authorities and divisional education councils as well. They’re the ones that have policies in place. If a student from the community wants to take on with home boarding, they’re the ones who made those decisions at the community level, because they’re experts at the community level. We work closely with them, as well, so we will continue to...

This particular piece of work will deal with enrolment, the data that will be collected the past years and also on a going forward basis, the past four years and also future direction for space planning. So those are the areas that will be focused with the group. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Specifically for Yellowknife district, first of all, J.H. Sissons is at 57 percent utilization; Mildred Hall is at 56 percent; N.J. Macpherson is at 57 percent; Range Lake North is at 68 percent; Sir John Franklin is at 98 percent; William MacDonald is at 43 percent, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I forgot a couple more schools. Ecole St. Joe’s is at 80 percent; St. Pat’s, 111 percent; and Weledeh at 82 percent. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This is definitely an area that we need to look at with the schools. We are trying to make it as accessible as we possibly can, especially with the older infrastructure barrier-free schools. Those are the areas that we are always improving and enhancing, whether it be playground equipment or school accessing, the railings and so forth. Certainly I will work with the school boards and also with our department and with the MLA on where we need to identify those areas. Mahsi.

We, too, don’t want to see this happening again in the future, but we must keep in mind that there are certain protocols and policies in place that we must follow as well. We must prepare our students to be successful in the schools. Again, parents’ responsibility, educators and also elected politicians, we do our part, and the department as well. So we’ll continue to make that happen. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.