Alfred Moses

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Currently, NWT has the highest student-teacher instructional hours in all of Canada. Our teachers, on average, are working about 52 hours a week. Research has suggested that increasing teachers' professional learning and strengthening a teacher's instructional practice is one of the most powerful and effective ways to ensure quality teaching and significantly improve student achievement. I believe there isn't a policy that we have to address. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have that level of detail or the specifics at this moment, so I'll take the question as notice. Thank you.

I don't have that detailed information in front of me right now, but I can commit that I'll get that information and I will share it with the Member.

Public Works and Services is the facility maintainer. They do not typically undertake assessments specifically for asbestos; it is done as part of the routine preventative maintenance procedures. ECE is aware of asbestos in the crawl space and on the piping elbows, and it is contained and in good shape. The next annual inspection is scheduled for May-June 2017.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we can commit to getting that information for the Member and all Members on the other side of the House. I just want to let the Members know that we also have approximately 33 NWT students attending teacher education programs outside the Northwest Territories, and we continue to support them through our Student Financial Assistance program; 13 are coming from communities outside Yellowknife, so we're getting students from the communities outside Yellowknife attending this. Additionally, there are approximately 19 NWT students presently attending social work...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned earlier, with the development of that new overarching legislation for a postsecondary education here in the Northwest Territories, that is the beginning of it, and that is the initial step that we have to do before we can start having those talks. So hopefully, we will have that legislation brought to committee soon.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reductions were part of the GNWT's 2016-17 business planning process and were included in the 2017-2018 Main Estimates. As I mentioned earlier this week, ensuring that programs we offer and programs that we provide funding for are effective and are efficient, that is part of good management. We looked at some of these programs that were brought before us in terms of the 10-year strategic plan that Aurora College is currently undertaking. It is going to look at some of the needs of the NWT labour market that were identified in the needs assessment that we tabled in...

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.

That's the Personal Support Worker Program. I believe one is going into the Office Administration Program and also applying at a southern institution. I'm not sure what the program is, but we do have another student who is applying to a southern institution.

No, I am not saying that. I am saying that we are going to have to wait until April when we are able to see that Aurora College strategic 10-year plan, working with the board of governors, our staff, as well as the senior management of Aurora College. Once we get that report, all that information will be shared with committee and Members.