Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be again to the Minister of Education regarding inclusive schooling. Maybe, for this moment, on my first question I’ll ask the Minister his version of what is inclusive schooling. Maybe he can explain that. What is the purpose of the money and how does it help the students?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This whole inclusive schooling, the funding that’s been allocated to the school boards is to provide services to those students that are in the needs of various areas within the educational system. We provide $26 million and $666,000 towards the Student Success Initiative within the schools. We continue to work closely with the school boards. Part of the discussions that we’ve been having with the school boards and communities is that we understand there are special needs within the school system. Parents would have to come and say to do an assessment. There is a lot of hesitation as well. We try to work around that system, as well, but based on this comprehensive review that’s going to be undertaken, I’m certainly hoping that will capture those key areas that we’ve been hearing from the communities.
I have to admit that I didn’t understand that answer. I heard needs in various areas and those key areas. With all those various needs and community needs and various area needs, maybe the Minister can explain how a reduction in funding does a better program delivery. I’m not talking about the upcoming review. I’m talking about the reduction of the $26 million he’s talking about. How does that create better services and supports for those students?
I’d like to focus on what we have here today. Reduction, in the past we’ve transferred funding from inclusive to early childhood. That was the direction and recommendation from the standing committee that I work with. I need to work with what we have. So we work closely with standing committee. If there is a guidance or advice given to us, we need to work with it. If early childhood development is a priority, then we need to focus in those areas.
With respect to inclusive schooling, again we are re-evaluating the program and if we are going to be making some changes, I will be coming back to standing committee to make those changes.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t recall it being a standing committee recommendation, but if the Minister wants to blame standing committee, I guess we’re big enough to just accept that and move forward. We’re talking about going forward, of course.
Was the reduction of inclusive education money meant to penalize or redirect those who were not spending the money properly? Was it a form of punishment? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, absolutely not. It was towards the early childhood development. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, the question is simple. How has he made inclusive education better by these reductions? The people want that answered. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but we are currently going through the review process. That’s what we heard from the general public and from the Members of this Assembly, so we are moving forward on that. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
