Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Core funding for Dechinta Bush University will create 156 jobs in their business proposal. The vast majority of these jobs will be in the smaller communities and regional centres. Will the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment commit to providing additional funding in the next departmental business plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department has been a supporter of Dechinta for the past several years in providing some funding. We're always working with them and just having ongoing discussions with the Dechinta executive. Most recently our current discussions is that we're waiting for this current budget process to finish before we start allocating funding. We continue to speak with Dechinta executive and supporters to see where we move forward next, and that will be at discussions at the next business plan cycle which will be commencing in about three months' time. I really appreciate the Members continuing to bring up the concerns of funding for Dechinta. We have a lot of champions within this House and appreciate the efforts and continued questions and bringing up the awareness for the program and the work that they do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the Minister's comments; however, I didn't hear a solid commitment, but I'll move on from there. In their business case, Dechinta's looking for $5 million. I note that we fund Aurora College to the tune of around $32 million. Can the Minister give us some stats on the success rate of people who take Aurora College programing? We know that Dechinta's sitting at 100 per cent success rate. What are the comparable stats for Aurora College and are we getting value for money for that $32 million that we currently invest in Aurora College? Thank you.
This year we've actually had an increase in graduation rates in the high school, but also in Aurora College system. This summer the Aurora College is actually going through new strategic plan for the next ten years. It's going to be reflective on our Skills 4 Success Action Plan which we are developing this summer as well. And I understand that Dechinta's also working on a proposal, maybe a revised proposal reflecting our Skills 4 Success Action Plan. The details, I can get the details in terms of success, in terms of how many graduates we had in Aurora College compared to Dechinta. I could get those specific details and I can get it to the Member if he likes.
Yes, I would appreciate if the Minister could provide that information to me. Ms. Speaker, the recent Labour Market Study that the Minister referenced showed a real need for more post-secondary educated workers here the Northwest Territories. Dechinta does not have the ability to grant credentials despite its high success rates. Will the Minister commit to bringing forward legislative changes by the next sitting of this House?
In the 17th Legislative Assembly there was a motion that was brought forth actually I believe in November of 2015. The department is looking at that. Most recently Nunavut did do a feasibility study of the same information that the Member's asking for. We did get a copy of that feasibility study from Nunavut. We are looking at the recommendations and the possibilities moving forward and what we as a territory are going to be doing in terms of the legislation or the granting of degrees, but we've got to take a look at that feasibility study and see whether or not it will reflect whether our financial situation as well our capacity in the Northwest Territories to be able to do that.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Dechinta's not an idea, it's a real institution. It's producing graduates; it's doing very good work. It isn’t an untested project. This is something that's clear and measurable. They have a business case, it's very well thought out. I think it's time to act on these issues and stop speculating through action plans and strategies. Will the Minister make those commitments to bring forward funding by the next business plan and bring forward legislative changes the next sitting of this House? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
At this moment, I can't commit to bringing the legislative changes until we've done the review of the feasibility study, looked to what other jurisdictions are doing and still have those discussions with Dechinta moving forward. I know Nunavut has that feasibility study. They spend a lot of money into that feasibility study. It was in the news just recently and we're going to look at those moving forward, but at this time I cannot commit to bringing more funding or a legislation before the next business plan review which is about three months away.
Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
