Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past Wednesday the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and his department had the opportunity to present to the Standing Committee on Social Development on the NWT Education Renewal initiative. Mr. Speaker, it was a really good, very informative, and good presentation. Today, my questions are directed to the Minister around some parts of this presentation. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please explain to this House what type of course material is being developed as it pertains to Northern Studies 20 and 30? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently, we just have Northern Studies 10 in the curriculum that is being offered throughout the Northwest Territories. We do have a Wise People Committee made up of Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders that is currently working on a Northern Studies 20 and 30. Following the same process that we did with Northern Studies 10, the Northern Studies 20 and 30, under direction of the Wise People Committee, are looking at exploration and developments of things like land claims, treaties, self-governments that are all going to be focused on Northern Studies 20 and 30. That is the direction that they are moving toward: letting our youth and our people who take our Northern Studies 20 and 30 courses, when we start offering them, learn about their culture, their traditions, as well as their history. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for his answer. Mr. Speaker, this is very exciting news, as we educate our youth on the history of the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is Northern Studies 10 is a course requirement for students to graduate. Will these other two Northern Studies courses be deemed prerequisites for our students to graduate? If so, why?
Yes, currently Northern Studies 10 is a required course to graduate for all NWT students in the Northwest Territories. What is exciting about Northern Studies 10 is that the curriculum is around residential schools, so our students learn about residential schools and how they are part of our history in the North and throughout Canada. Northern Studies 20 and 30, there is a lot of interest with our Aboriginal governments who we have been consulting with. As I have mentioned in the House, Alberta is redesigning their curriculum, and we have our staff who are working with staff in Alberta to redesign the curriculum.
We are going to try to see if there is an opportunity that our Northern Studies 20 and 30 courses can also be the equivalent to Social Studies 20 and 30. Those talks are in discussions with the Alberta government, and as you know, we are unique in the North and we follow the Alberta curriculum. We are going to see if that is a possibility. As I mentioned, those talks are currently happening right now.
I thank the Minister for his answer on two of my other questions. I thank him very much for that. Can the Minister please advise us as to when we think we will see this being implemented for the school year?
Yes, as I mentioned, we do have a committee that is currently working on it. We are collaborating with our Aboriginal governments, engaging our Aboriginal governments on what they would like to see in this curriculum. It is very important to get their knowledge, so that we can in return teach our youth in the school system. I imagine over the next two or three years, I think the curriculum will be completed, and hopefully delivered in the school system.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
