Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, junior kindergarten is going to be a grade like no other within our school system for several reasons. It has to do with the way that this program is funded. In the first case, the government has committed to providing inclusive schooling to help children who are falling behind within the school system, but this inclusive schooling funding is not extended to junior kindergarten. When is that going to change, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, our staff is meeting with the superintendents right now on the roll-out of junior kindergarten. We are listening to any concerns that they may have had, as well as what we have heard from residents from across the Northwest Territories. Those discussions are going on right now. Once those meetings are completed, we can get better updates to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is my understanding that ECE sends draft budgets to the school boards on almost a daily basis. In the most recent budget that was sent last night, there is no money for inclusive schooling. My question is: this is the Minister's pot of money to spend; when is he going to include JK in the inclusive schooling funding?
Junior kindergarten itself is a play-based program. Inclusive schooling is focused on helping students who need that extra assistance from the K to 12 system, and right now as we're implementing it we're continuing to evaluate the program and we'll see what comes out of these discussions with the superintendents and the boards.
The Minister can't have it both ways. He can't have junior kindergarten as a grade of education within the school system paid for by the school budgets and then say it's somehow exempt from the standard programming that applies to all the other students there, especially something as important as inclusive schooling, which is already being reduced in this budget. So my question once again is: when is the Minister going to include the money for inclusive schooling to extend to junior kindergarten?
When we are implementing junior kindergarten in the fall in the schools, students in the JK system will have access to all programs and services provided in the school, so there will be some supports there for them.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister just said there would be some supports there for them. Could the Minister please elaborate? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, support for students in the JK to 12 system that focus around inclusive schooling, they'll have access to those services and supports as well as even more teachers in the school system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
