Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I was asking the Minister of ECE a number of questions trying to clarify what's happening with junior kindergarten. In my role as the Chair of Social Development and in my travels in the communities, we've been hearing a number of concerns raised. So has the department looked at other options in communities with existing options instead of implementing junior kindergarten? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the report that we tabled last year, of course, we go out and we speak with all our stakeholders. As Minister responsible for Education, it is my duty to ensure that all families, all children, have access to the same quality of education and the best start at life when they start their education careers. Currently there are 11 communities in the Northwest Territories that do not have any licenced early childhood programs. As a government, we have to make sure that we provide services that give every family, every child, the equal opportunity to have the best start in their life, and that's what we're doing when we implement junior kindergarten. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for the answer. However, we’ve heard from a number of communities that they're saying that they would like the money actually to follow the child instead of going directly to junior kindergarten. Has the department looked at this option?
I want to remind the Member that I did make a statement in the House last year about significant improvements and changes to our early childhood programs for funded daycares and day homes. Maybe I can remind the Member to look at that statement again and speak with his constituents and the people who provide these programs, because they're very significant changes that actually improve the quality of staffing, the quality of funding, and even the curriculums moving forward.
It's not possible for the GNWT to fund both the public education system and private nonprofit early childhood programs when we look at delivering junior kindergarten. We can't continue to fund on top of what we're already funding. Delivering junior kindergarten within the school setting is both practical and fiscally responsible, because it utilizes already well-maintained, inspected, publically funded available school space for no additional rental or leasing cost to the GNWT, and it also provides more resources for the children that they wouldn’t possibly get in the daycare or the day home.
I thank the Minister for his answer. I have read that. I've read all your documentations. I've seen it, but I've got a whole bunch of communities out there that are asking these questions. When we're looking at implementing this junior kindergarten, has the department looked at additional costs such as busing, staffing to make sure that we have proper busing for these children, and the safety and then inclusive schooling with this junior kindergarten?
In the Member's riding, junior kindergarten has been rolled out over a number of years. We haven't really heard any concerns from them. We're actually hearing really good positive feedback of how junior kindergarten has been implemented in Nahendeh. The department is working with education authorities, as I had mentioned yesterday, to examine the requirements such as busing, such as safety. Of course, safety is the forefront and priority within our education authorities, as well as at the department. So when we speak with our staff and our education authorities and our superintendents, of course safety is in the forefront of the programs and services that they provide to junior kindergarten right up to grade 12. So, yes, of course we're looking at that.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that great answer, and yes junior kindergarten has been implemented in the Nahendeh riding. I'm glad the Minister recognized that and it does work; however, we're hearing a lot of concerns across the Territories. It's great we're looking at it, but there's going to be hidden costs to it. So instead of asking, that'll be another set of questions later on, but in regards to junior kindergarten will this be voluntary or are the communities going to have to be implementing this? There seems to be some miscommunication and misunderstanding. So will the Minister clarify that it is voluntary or mandatory? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I mentioned yesterday when the question came up again, junior kindergarten will be implemented in the 2017-2018 school year. All education authorities will be required to offer junior kindergarten in 2017-2018, and education authorities have that option to offer it half day or full day.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
