Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today my Member’s statement was on Mangilaluk School. Recently, Don Kindt Consulting conducted, completed and released a report identifying serious deficiencies and inadequacies with the Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk. Will this government commit to implementing the improvements to all of the problems identified in this report? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the report that the Member is referring to we received just recently. My department is going through the overall review. The recommendations were brought to our attention and, clearly, we need to work with the community; we need to work with the Member on a going-forward basis. This could be part of the business planning cycle for next time around. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we did receive a letter from the Member’s constituent school asking about the education planning regarding their school and, certainly, we are committed to working on that. There is also an invitation to the Minister and also Assembly Members. So I would commit going to the Member’s riding. Mahsi.
I wanted a commitment from him to build the extension, not for a visit, but I’ll take that too. Thank you, Mr. Minister.
Mr. Speaker, you know, about a year ago I put a motion on the floor of the House that was passed. With so many reports that we go through in the government, Mr. Speaker, I need commitment from the Minister in regard to, like he said, a go-forward on getting this…enough reports and getting some action done on the building of the extension in Tuktoyaktuk, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, this is all preliminary. We just received the recommendations. They are recommendations for us to consider. We may not cover every aspect of the recommendations that are brought forward, but the most critical need we’ll certainly consider that into our business planning cycle.
Mr. Speaker, we may not be able to have the upgrades as we speak today, but certainly that’s a going-forward basis for the next business planning cycle. I am committing to looking into this further with the Member and with the school board education council to develop an action plan. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, considering that the government once promised all students across the Northwest Territories would receive equal, quality education, this government should finally develop an aggressive strategy to address all inadequacies and implement recommendations to make the real improvements on that report.
Mr. Speaker, I totally agree that we must meet all the students’ educational standards across the Northwest Territories. In fact, our main targets should be far-reaching to try and be ahead of the other jurisdictions such as the southern jurisdictions. We are developing the plans and implementing those areas and we will continue to improve in those areas.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for committing to come to the community; well, actually, the tour of Nunakput, to see all the inadequacies we have in the school system in all of the communities that I represent. Mr. Speaker, we have to action this sooner than later. The school system has to be really looked at in a way that, like from the South. You said the south is different than… We’re no different than the South, Mr. Speaker. We just want the Minister to commit to making sure that the quality of education is brought to Nunakput. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I may not be bringing a hammer and saw with me when I go to the communities, but certainly that is a starting point. The next phase will be the business planning cycle. I assure the Member that ongoing discussion and an in-depth discussion will take place and we’ll start planning for next year. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
