Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement was the education in today’s world and the education in Nunakput. The education in the world requires many resources, even through the buildings that house our students, the books, our basic supplies, all the school needs in today’s world. Much more is needed, Mr. Speaker. Our kids are increasingly left behind.
Mr. Speaker, this is Education Week across the Territories and across Canada. Considering all the unique educational challenges for our youth in Nunakput communities and considering that compared to the national standards of our students and the students are far below average in everything from the textbooks and per square footage for students and staff, Mr. Speaker, is the Minister looking into getting a report done with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council to see what’s needed in the communities of Nunakput? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if there is a report, it will be up to the Beaufort-Delta to produce one. And if they are, then we are looking forward to a report. At the same time, there is an Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative that’s underway. There are several meetings undertaken about the success of students and the programming, the schools and the enrolment issues. So those are the areas, the key target discussions that they are having. So if the Member can elaborate on the actual report that’s been worked on. I’m not sure what specific documents he’s referring to, if there is one. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, I’m asking for a report to get done in regards to the schools in my communities. The student-ratio is too big for the schools they are providing in the communities of Tuktoyaktuk and Sachs. I mean, I’m looking for a high school in Sachs Harbour that needs another whole classroom and little bit bigger facilities.
Mr. Speaker, I have eight kids in the community of Sachs Harbour that we’re failing them in the community of Sachs because we have nowhere to house them and no teachers to provide. Here this week, Education Week, we’re sending teachers down to Edmonton for basically a nice trip. Good job. Thank you. I’m really happy with all the teachers but, Mr. Speaker, for $50,000 we could salvage the students’ last two months of school. What is this Minister going to do, other than hiding behind the Beaufort-Delta education board? What is he going to do to fix the problem? Thank you.
We’re not hiding behind the Beaufort-Delta Education Council. We gave them the empowerment; we gave them the funding, because they’re the experts at the regional level. They provide us advice, recommendations, and also going forward on decision-making. So, Mr. Speaker, we’ve heard over and over from this Assembly and the First Nations assembly, First Nations community, the communities, that they want to have the power to make decisions. We gave them that authority and we have to respect that.
In my role as Education Minister, we do have the Education Act that we follow. All across the board, schools follow that. Mr. Speaker, with respect to the review that the Member is asking for, I need to work with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council and the superintendent. If they feel that there’s a need for that to happen, then, by all means, we’ll be more than happy and willing to assist in that area. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
You know, Mr. Speaker, they may be the experts in regards to what’s needed in the communities of Nunakput in the Beaufort-Delta, but, Mr. Speaker, sometimes we have to give direction. He’s the Education Minister. I have eight students in the community of Sachs Harbour not being educated right now that I want something done. They have two months left in the curriculum. They’re done school in May. What’s he going to do? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have to correct the Member: we do not have eight students out of school. As of today we have one student that went back to Sachs Harbour, one student from Sachs Harbour that’s enrolled in school and supported the independent study, the other seven students are in school. A total of 10 students; sorry, a total of seven students. So, Mr. Speaker, these students are in school, second semester, and there’s only one that went back to Sachs Harbour for personal reasons. This is accurate information from the superintendent of the board of education council of the Beaufort-Delta. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s good that they’re getting the job done, getting those students back into school. But, Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is we have to start providing services to the communities of Nunakput instead of looking for handouts and table scraps in regards to this government’s allocation of funds for the education system. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister come up to the communities with me and see firsthand what’s going on? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would be more than willing to visit the communities of Nunakput and other communities as well, just to visit the schools, the board chairs, the board councils. Those are ongoing initiatives that we are currently undertaking and we are making commitments to visit all schools. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
