Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. In my Member’s statement I talked about the quality of education in our small communities, especially with the fact of finding that our students are not at the same level as our southern students on their education.
I want to ask the Minister what he is doing to bring these numbers up so that we know that our students are getting a quality education and that they can bring the level up to a number that we can be proud of.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Member is raising an excellent point where we need to do something about our quality of education across the Northwest Territories. That’s part of the reason why we’re developing various initiatives such as the Early Childhood Development Framework, not only that but the whole Education Renewal and Innovation. So those are the two big key factors that we’re implementing within our department. It’s going to take some time. There is a short-term, a mid-term and also long-term arrangements as well. There are quite a few activities that will be happening and we’re engaging the communities, as well, on this particular, very important initiative. Mahsi.
Thank you. We certainly look forward to it. I’ve been wanting to ask the Minister of Education… The chief from Tulita, Chief Frank Andrew, talked about the quality of education in our communities and then he noted that at one time when the students finished Grade 12, they finished with a Grade 12. Today we question the Grade 12s who are finishing school.
I want to ask the Minister, is there a way that we are looking at today that when our students finish they do not have to go to Aurora College to upgrade to get into a post-secondary institution. Will our students really complete with a Grade 12, truly a Grade 12 that we can say yes, that’s a quality education we want to give them?
Mahsi. When I first got elected in 2007, the Member invited me to his riding in the Sahtu region. We did visit the communities and we listened to the elders and the community members about this particular subject where individuals completing Grade 12 still had to upgrade and I’ve listened carefully. Based on that feedback we’ve done a lot of research across the Northwest Territories. Yes, it’s true that the smaller communities are somewhat disadvantaged compared to larger regional centres. So those are the very reasons why we’re establishing a very heavy workload within the Education Renewal and Innovation that will certainly capture those small communities that may be lagging behind on these particular subject areas. So, we’re serious about this initiative. Mahsi.
Yesterday I had an exchange with Mr. Premier about the different things we can do in our small communities. This morning I was talking to a resident in Tulita that said I finished Grade 7 but today I have a successful business in Tulita. That’s what I’m looking for in our schools. More of that type of leadership education in our schools where kids today can just do what they have to do to be successful, successful thinking in the schools. That’s where I’m looking.
Is that something the Minister is looking at in regard to education in the North?
Mahsi. Yes, most definitely those are a mix of the discussions that we are currently having as part of our Education Renewal and Innovation. Certainly, individuals may not be ready or entering the college avenue. We want to give them the tools to enter into workforce development or other opportunities that may arise as well. So, those are discussions that we’ve had with the regional representatives. When we did our forum across the Northwest Territories, we did listen and we are making drastic changes within our Education Renewal and also the Early Childhood Development Framework that will capture those key areas that the Member is referring to as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Mr. Speaker, this has been our last operations and maintenance budget, given that we have just under 300 days for the election to be called.
Will we see anything in the life of this government to know that we’re making some measurable strides to achieve what we want to achieve with our young people in our communities that are attending our education institutions?
Yes, the quickest answer will be most certainly. There will be some things that will happen within the three-year timespan starting immediately. We’ve touched base on improving academic achievement of all Northwest Territories students, increased the number and quality of NWT graduates – that’s what the Member is referring to – improved literacy and numeracy skills of all students, helped prepare them for employment, as well, or further their education after high school.
Mr. Speaker, these are just some of the areas that we’ve tackled. We’ll continue to work with the First Nations, the community governments, because it all takes partnership, working with the college, as well, as high schools. So, all these parties are involved as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
