Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about the state of Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk, and my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, my first question is: in the past the department has said that Mangilaluk School was not at capacity and, yet, we are seeing overcrowding. How does the department evaluate school capacity, Mr. Speaker? Quyanainni.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We look at the capacity and the utilization rates, enrolment rates, we take everything into account, space needed in the classrooms to allow the students and the teachers to do their work in a safe environment. Mangilaluk School: it is a priority for our department and moving forward with the capital plans in the fall. We did just go do a tour in the Beaufort Delta and Tuk was one of the communities we visited. We did speak to the leadership there, we spoke with the education council chair as well as staff and faculty, and we did get a tour of the school and we do understand the issues that are with Mangilaluk School. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, my second question to the Minister is: when was the last time the Mangilaluk School's capacity was evaluated?
As I mentioned, the Mangilaluk School is on our priority list. We did go and do a needs assessment of the school. What we're looking at proposing is an additional 1,000 square metres in order to respond with our capital standards and criteria for NWT schools. We're also looking at upgrading to existing program areas to accommodate current program requirements and also do a mid-life technical retrofit that'll include an energy-efficient exterior building envelope.
As everything that comes through the government, whether it's hospitals, schools, roads, it does have to go through a capital budget review, and that's going to happen in the fall. We are going to be working with the Member to try to see how we can get this on the books for Tuk. Initially, when the school was built, it was built for kindergarten to grade nine. Now they've started offering more courses, specifically junior kindergarten as well as the secondary schools. Now we've got to look at reviewing it for junior kindergarten to grade 12, and that's what we plan on doing and hopefully get these in the capital budget in the fall time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, that answered my last and final question. More of a comment and I look forward to working with the Minister on this.
Masi. I'll take that as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
