Mr. Speaker, the high school teacher in Lutselk'e resigned and left the community. So there's no dedicated high school teacher in the community, and it's not clear when a new teacher will take their place. My question is to the Minister of ECE.
Is ECE working with Lutselk'e to get a dedicated high school teacher back in the community by next -- by the next school year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to start by just acknowledging the incredible impact that a teacher leaving a community would have on especially a small community in the Northwest Territories, and I just thank the Member for asking these questions to bring it forward and get the information out.
So in the Northwest Territories, education bodies are responsible for hiring teachers. And specific to Lutselk'e, the high school teaching position became vacant in November of 2023. The South Slave Divisional Education Council filled the position with a long-term substitute, and that person taught until March of 2024. And from April through to the end of the school year, the program support teacher has actually taken on the responsibility of covering instructional duties within the classroom. And the teaching position position has now been filled for the 2024-2025 school year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. What support is ECE providing to teachers in my communities as we do not want to have any more teachers leaving the community in the middle of the school year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ECE supports education bodies in recruitment of teachers while education bodies themselves hire the teachers. But in that process, there are two online recruitment platforms. The first is an NWT-wide recruitment information database, and there's also a dedicated point of contact to respond to questions that people might have about moving to the Northwest Territories. Because it's really important before people come, that they understand what life is about. And, of course, as always, we really want to also ensure -- in our classrooms, we're encouraging our students to become teachers and to return to home communities after post-secondary. ECE also works with education bodies to provide supports once people do move to the Northwest Territories. For example, there are two-day cultural orientation on-the-land training that is delivered by education bodies for new teachers. There's also the New to the North Educators Conference that is run by ECE. In addition to that, there is a mentorship program for new teachers. In addition, teachers are GNWT employees and they, of course, have access to mental health resources like the Employee and Family Assistance Program, as well as community counselling in the community that they live in. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And we don't know what's going to happen between now and the fall, but some community members are coming to Yellowknife so their children may have better access to education. Will ECE support them, especially if this problem continues in the fall? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very happy to confirm, again, that there is a high school -- or the high school position has been filled for the 2024-2025 school year and, as well, the teaching coverage that is in place will remain for the 2023-2024 school year, so from now until the end of the school year but we've got a few weeks left here. And families who may be considering relocating their children to attend high school in a different NWT community are definitely encouraged to speak with their school principal or their superintendent to find out information about home boarding programs that might exist and that students might have access to. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm also concerned about the lack of adult education services in Lutselk'e. Can the Minister also commit to provide more adult education services in the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in response to this question, I can definitely commit to the Member to reaching out to Aurora College and then providing the Member with more information. But this is definitely an interest area of mine as well, and I would like to offer the Member to sit down as well and find out exactly what the community is looking for. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Deh Cho.
