Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for busing students to Fort McPherson. I remember when the government started extending the grade levels offered in small communities so families didn’t have to send their children away. In the Minister’s opinion, how does that work for students and families?
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12 extensions into the communities have worked out well in most of the communities. Some of the communities are still struggling, especially isolated communities where they may not be able to deliver academic courses. At the same time, there is a model in play in the Beaufort-Delta, e-learning. It’s a new topic of discussion we are having now. We feel we need to expand that more into the communities, especially the isolated communities. So those are areas that we are currently exploring, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.
What is the cost of supporting the student who has to be housed and schooled away from home in Inuvik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I don’t have the detailed breakdown of the actual cost per student to be housed where they are attending school, but I can provide that to the Member. Part of the formula funding would cover that. We work closely with the DEAs and DECs to capture those students that may have to go to Inuvik to attend school, or McPherson or surrounding communities. Those are areas where we continue to work for the school boards. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Will the Minister ensure that funding is provided to the Beaufort-Delta Education Council to pilot the busing project between Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson starting in the fall? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Very direct. This is an area that I need to work closely with the DECs and DEAs. If there is a requisition from the DEA, whether it be busing services, then it goes to the DEC and then we sit down and discuss the priorities for the region. Part of the formula funding would cover assets such as busing and other programming into the communities. I need to work closely with the school boards to make this a reality, and if it’s the wish of the DEA, then we need to work towards that.
It sounds very promising. That sounded like a yes. Was that a yes?
The busing, it is covered through the formula funding, and again, I need to work closely with the school boards. If it is a priority of the school board, then they need to identify the funding. We also, through the school boards, provide additional funding to small communities where enrolment may be not as high, so they can provide the funding towards that, busing and other such services. I will continue to work with the Member and also the school board to make this a reality.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
