Alfred Moses

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is one of the avenues. We also did a lot of stakeholder engagements with key stakeholders across the Northwest Territories to get their input in how do we look at redirecting the Aurora College program services. That is one of the avenues that we have used. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The $5.1 million to implement junior kindergarten to the rest of the communities is focused on the operations of junior kindergarten moving forward. We still haven't heard the results of what the decision or some of the discussions that have been going on, and also I've got to let the Member know that junior kindergarten is going to be optional for families. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In terms of any savings that we are doing, we are always working with the Aurora College board of governors, as well as the executive, on the programs and services that they provide, and we support them. We continue to support them with the dollars that they need to run these programs. So, when we look at the budgets, it is about budget process, and we work with them very closely in moving forward on those.

We did commit to fully funding junior kindergarten this fall. As I've mentioned, we also fund school boards throughout the Northwest Territories over $150 million, and they make the decisions on how those dollars are being allocated and spent as well.

Currently, the department funds students through the Student Financial Assistance on their tuition up to $2,400 per semester. Our increases are still way below that. Any student at Aurora College who might have concerns, they are still going to get the full tuition to move forward in their programming. That $2,400 per semester will also cover the most expensive programs within Aurora College. 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.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment and Aurora College have worked together in identifying potential expenditure reductions over a three-year period to help ensure the long-term sustainability of Aurora College so that we can continue to provide good programming moving forward. The reduction decisions were made to ensure that Aurora College is operating in a manner that was cost-effective and efficient, as I mentioned before.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, I will move that Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Over the last three years we've had 12 graduates come out of that program. Currently, there are 17 students who are enrolled in year one and 17 students enrolled in year two. We're working with them and continue to support them through the rest of their studies. If you simply divide the cost of the program by the number of students, the cost is approximately about $13,000 per student. However, if you look at it from an academic outcome perspective, how many students are we graduating, that would be about $112,000 per graduate that we put through that program.

Yes, and I can also pull up some documentation in which I believe we did send all Members of this Legislative Assembly an e-mail talking about the strategy and giving input into the strategy, as well as going on the Aurora College website to give input into that as well.