Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I will be asking questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, as we have seen in the main estimates, ECE has planned to cut $1.8 million from inclusive schooling. ECE has since confirmed to leaving $1.3 million alone and dedicated the rest to a specialized training group for PST teachers. Since this isn't reflected in the mains, where is the department going to find this money, whether it is internally, through a supplemental or presented to this House or both? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The $1.3 million, as we stated during Committee of the Whole, will be moved back into the inclusive schooling funding that will be provided to the education authorities throughout the Northwest Territories and distributed for the 201718 academic year. The remaining $500,000 is going to be used by the department for training of all NWT program support teachers, school principals, as well as classroom assistants in the 201718. Currently, right now, some of that training is happening here, in Yellowknife, this week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for his answer. I guess my question, though, and I understand that: where is this money? Is it still in the budget? Was it something from here? Okay, thank you.
The Minister has also referenced ECE commitment to seeing a program support teachers in each community NWT school. I understand from our discussions in Committee of the Whole that they will be funded through the health, wellness, and students line item. What dollar amount has been identified to get these positions filled and bring a PST to each NWT school?
For the 201718 academic school year, $9.6 million has been identified for approximately 72 program support teachers. The overall budget for inclusive schooling is over $25 million. In the health, wellness, and student support, the line item budget for that is over $3 million.
I thank the Minister for that answer. That is pretty exciting news, to see that that money is there. Can the Minister tell us how many schools already have at least one PST teacher in place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently, all education bodies decide how to distribute their inclusive schooling funding throughout their schools to ensure that all schools have needed access to PSTs. We can get the number for the Member. Under our renewed inclusive schooling directive, we have made it mandatory for education bodies to look at prescribing a number of program support teachers based on the enrolment of students in each of their schools in the regions, so that sends a new directive from 2016. We can get those numbers for the Member, how many schools have PSTs right now.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his answer. I look forward to that information. I guess, when he is providing that information, will the Minister commit to providing us how many new PST teachers will be needed for each school? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, we provide the funding, inclusive schooling funding, to the education authorities, and they work out, based on enrolment, how many program support teachers that they need based on the enrolment and students that they have in each of their schools. We can get that information, working with our education authorities.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
