Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today, I talked about social workers and the need for social work training and the appropriate education that could rightly fit in at Aurora College.
As we all know, you can parachute somebody into the North but that doesn’t necessarily truly make them a Northerner. It’s almost something that has to be born and bred into your DNA. I’d like to ask the Minister of Education a particular question about the department’s point of view when it comes to Northerners.
Does the department feel that trained, northern graduates who are Northerners have a longer-term investment into the future of the North? As such, do you think that Northerners represent the culture and language of communities better here in the North than southern transplants? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister of Education, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Indeed, the northern graduates are very beneficial to the Northwest Territories, to our communities and to our regions. So we continue to push forward the delivery of certification, diplomas, degree programs and even into master’s programs nowadays in our Aurora College, the three campuses that we have. We are starting to build on our strength with delivering various programs into communities; we’ll continue to push that forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We know, without any doubt, that the Minister is a strong advocate for language, culture and small communities. As the Minister and from the department’s point of view, does the Minister believe that small communities and, more specifically, First Nations families and Northerners, would they be more receptive of social workers trained here in the Northwest Territories that are both culturally and, in a language context, familiar with this environment, versus southern-trained social workers who take these jobs and are trained elsewhere outside the North? Thank you.
The Social Work Program has been very successful to date in the Northwest Territories. We had some previous graduates, 24 grads in the last five years. So the numbers may not be as high, but those are just some of the key areas, the key findings, that we must invest into the students and into the programming. We also have partnerships with the University of Regina to continue with the degree programs, the master’s programs. There have been talks about having potentially a bachelor studies in social work. That is some of the exploration that we are conducting with the college, the three campuses, along with potential partners from southern jurisdictions. We are exploring those areas. Mahsi.
I’m glad the Minister brought up 24 grads in the last five years. If anyone’s math is as good as mine, you’ll realize that’s less than five a year, on average, that graduate from the program. Statistics speak for themselves. As I understand it, far more don’t graduate than enter the program. Maybe the Minister can enlighten this House on the statistics. As I’m aware of it, we can have 30 people who enter the program in one intake year, but only five come out of the program. To me, our statistics aren’t showing good results.
Would the Minister enlighten this House on the intake of the program and our success rate?
Five will be better than zero. That’s success in my view, in my eyes. Again, this is an area we need to re-evaluate. The college is going through their overall program delivery and program review. They have conducted, this past summer, I believe, a five-year strategic plan. Part of that will be social work, the diploma programs, and the degree programs, potentially. So I will be addressing this with the college to see where they stand and see where they’re going with it.
One would be better than none. So, frankly, five is better than none, absolutely. I agree with the Minister on that. When we look at the landslide and the fact that way more people enter than ever graduate, it’s almost a disappointment. That’s why I bring my last question to the House.
The Minister says we need to re-valuate. Fantastic news. I want to know what that looks like and will he address the lack of the Bachelor of Social Work Program here in the Northwest Territories. As I began my Member’s statement today, now is our opportunity to develop a Social Work Program just like we did for the teachers, just like we did for the nurses and we can work to ensure Northerners are properly trained for our own people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, I will be delivering the same messages to the college president and also the Board of Governors. Again, they are going through their strategic planning, so I am sure they will consider this as part of their discussion. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Moses.
