Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I enjoy hearing some of my colleagues today and I’m trying to be in line with some of their comments. Those like listening to our people, and we heard about listening to our kids. I’d like to build upon that.
With reference to my Member’s statement earlier today about allowing students to grade their teachers as part of the overall reform change for education effectiveness, my questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment today will be focused on what the department is doing about northern education reform. There are many barriers and factors that are impeding our students from achieving success in our school system. Can the Minister elaborate as to what are the things that are pulling us to focus on the change we require?
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would, first of all, like to thank the Member for that question. He raises several key topics and important issues. I’m glad to have the opportunity to address the NWT education renewal initiative that my department has undertaken. There are many factors. Several factors indicate that education in the NWT must change. As the Member puts it, pulling us to change. There are several types of assistance and large scale services that show our students are not achieving at anywhere near the levels that they should be. These also include Alberta Achievement Tests and functioning grade level assessments, international early development instrument and also healthy behaviours. Those are just some of the factors that we are contemplating. In summary, we are hearing from all corners, including the students, that change is needed and we are embarking on that.
I appreciate the Minister’s response to that. Can the Minister give us a recap of all the informing initiatives we have at this time and what future initiatives can we expect during the life of this Assembly, as the Minister put it, as we prepare for this renewal?
One of our focuses is the Early Childhood Development Framework that we’ve been working on for quite some time now. It’s been over a decade and it is now before us as a result of the research that we are seeing. Those are some of the focuses that we are currently working on. That is why we are engaging into our plan to renew the Early Childhood Development Framework that’s in the process.
Just having an elders gathering, I think we had roughly 80 to 100 elders from all regions gathered for two or three days to hear their input. The following week we had over 80 stakeholders to listen to their input, ideas, suggestions how we can improve and streamline the Early Childhood Development Framework. There’s also a Safe Schools Strategy that’s before us in terms of addressing bullying in the Northwest Territories schools. Our children need to be safe whether at home, in the community, in the region. Those are some of the areas that we are tackling as we speak. The Anti-Poverty Strategy that’s before us in this House and the Minister of Health’s Addictions Strategy, those are just some of the elements that we are currently working on.
I appreciate the Minister’s recap of some of those initiatives here. We have many competing hurdles within the education system as of today. Some of them were mentioned by the Minister. From disparity of student achievement in small community schools, from poor results from Alberta Achievement Tests, to poor functional grade levels, staff development and retention issues, and some system accountability. Can the Minister elaborate how allowing students to grade teachers can fit in the overall assessment tools to help evaluate better educational outcomes?
This is a very interesting idea and suggestion. We have done some research in this area, too, and the Member provided some information on this particular subject. This is information that will be shared through engagement on the NWT educational renewal. I’m looking forward to that input from the general public and stakeholders as we move forward.
Accountability is one of the key issues that the Auditor General report specifically highlighted in her 2010 report. As we know, we need to hold students accountable for their learning and we measure through the Alberta Achievement Tests and other assessment that’s before us. One of the six pillars through the education renewal process that I presented to the standing committee is professionalism. Those are the teachers; they are our assets. We have to do what we can to support them and move them along in the process. This particular area that the Member is alluding to will be addressed in the renewal process as well.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, again, appreciate the Minister’s response. Finally, northern education reform success or renewal success will, clearly, depend on the progress of dealing with poverty and other social factors. As we heard today, residential school impacts will also require an ongoing collaboration with the departments of Health and Social Services, Justice, NWT Housing, MACA and Human Resources. How will the Minister quarterback all these initiatives with so many departments in order to see real progress during the life of this 17th Assembly?
It’s very important that we collaborate and form partnerships with interdepartmental discussion on this important matter because it will take more than just one department. We have to work with the Department of Health and Social Services and other departments. It has a ripple effect, as well, and we’re very positive that we want to deliver the key messages that we need to make some changes that reflect on these important areas.
This is an area that I need to work with closely with the Social Programs committee and also with my department and the other departments as well. My department and DM are working closely with other DMs as well. We all have to be on the same page when we’re talking about education renewal. We’re going to make some changes that will reflect and benefit the students in the Northwest Territories and for the betterment of a lot of people.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
