Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pertaining to my Member's statement, 20 or 30 years ago the education system looked at teaching our children with great pride. Today we don't see that pride within our schools. The school -- the education system is failing our students every day. When can we start taking pride in the education system again and start seeing positive results within our smaller communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would say that that day is today, and I would say that that day was yesterday. I think that we have a tremendous amount of youth in the Northwest Territories who are working very hard in order to achieve their education. I had the honour and opportunity sitting with two pages in this House today, one of which is collecting water at the moment and keeping us well hydrated. His name is Mason, and I had the opportunity to sit down with him and listen to his concerns and questions about education in Colville Lake. So that was very much appreciated.
Mr. Speaker, I think it's worth saying, though, that I appreciate that the Member continues to raise education, especially in small communities in the Northwest Territories. And this is a concern that wasn't only shared by the Member. It's shared by myself. It's shared by my predecessor and was definitely shared by the Office of the Auditor General of the Government of Canada. And that is why they did a report, and I'd be more than happy to share the findings of that report with the Member and with this House. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How does the department of education evaluate the progress of students and determine if they're ready to advance to the next grade or even graduate from high school? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, each teacher has a curriculum with an evaluation process, and each student in the Northwest Territories has certain markers that they have to meet in order to graduate in the Northwest Territories, certain courses that they have to take. I do want to acknowledge the Member's concerns with education in the Northwest Territories and the action plan that stemmed from the concerns that were raised by the OAG in the previous Assembly. Those concerns did stem from education outcomes in the Northwest Territories, and that action plan identified 30 action items and the Government of the Northwest Territories has completed 25 of them, many of which spoke to things like multi-aged classrooms in small communities as well as working with and affording additional training to principals in small communities. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Back in about 20, 30 years ago, when a student needed help, there was a special needs class that they were placed in so that they can receive this help. I would like to know if the Minister would look at developing a program for the select few students. We have very limited students who are capable of going to post-secondary school but they're kept in classes where they're distracted and kept back. And I'm wondering if the department will look at developing a program for the select few students who are capable of going to post-secondary institutions and providing them with proper level of education without any distractions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have so many students that are capable of achieving education through post-secondary. We have so many students that have so much potential in the Northwest Territories, and I would want so many students to be able to achieve that potential and continue to work towards it. Part of that action plan that I spoke of did have some deliverables in it for things like training afforded -- additional training afforded to our classroom and education assistants. And that puts more people in the classroom able to work specifically with students that either are struggling or need additional supports and services. And that is something that we did, I've spoken in this House before, about the 24 graduates that we saw through our partnership with Douglas College. And ensuring that all students have access to not only post-secondary but access to knowing they can is incredibly important to me. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A few months ago, the Minister was able to come to the Mackenzie Delta to do a Minister's tour but when we arrived in McPherson, there was a death in the community, so we didn't actually do very much within the community. I was wondering if the Minister would commit to a tour of the Mackenzie Delta while schools are in session and see how the students interact together and students and teachers interact within the classroom setting? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the hospitality of the Member and his community leadership was bar none. Having the opportunity to return to the Mackenzie Delta would give me great pride and great pleasure, and I would love the opportunity to have that conversation with the Member to see when our schedules might match up. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.
