Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Our contribution is towards the school boards. We give the school board funding based on the 13 to one even though we are legislated for 16 to one. It’s an approximate figure of $11 million over a year period to subsidize them to meet that 13 to one standard. That’s where it’s at today at this point. Maybe if I can get Ms. Martin to elaborate more and provide a bit more detail. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize Anti-Bullying Day today. In the gallery I would like to recognize two people who wrote the lyrics and produced the song “Think Pink,” the anti-bullying theme song that was performed at the Pink Shirt Day today in the Great Hall. They are here with us today, Teaya Crossman, a Grade 3 student from Weledeh Catholic School, and also David Dowe, a classroom assistant from Weledeh. Also joining them is Damon Crossman, Teaya’s father. Of course, I’d like to recognize the superintendent, as well, Claudia Parker, and Assistant Superintendent...

Mr. Chair, those two particular programs are from the 2013-14 budget.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. The whole education renewal innovation is a big project that we are undertaking at this point. We are developing action plans towards that by later this summer. It is an internal reallocation to push this forward and obviously we are going to have to come back to the Legislative Assembly, depending on cost factor, once the action plans develop. I will get the deputy to maybe elaborate more on detail. Mahsi.

Out of the $241 million towards operations education in Education, Culture and Employment does capture what the Member is referring to, those 10 communities without licenced early childhood programming. There is a subsidy program that we have within our Education department that captures that. I’ll get Ms. Martin to maybe elaborate in a bit more detail of what she has before her. Mahsi.

Mr. Chair, the Member has raised this issue on numerous occasions. It is one of the priorities of this department because we are going through some changes. Education renewal innovation was one of the pillars that are focusing on small community schools. Just as a reminder, Members have reiterated and focused on small communities. That is one of the drives within our pillars. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. The junior kindergarten, again, as I stated, is play-based programming and I’m glad the Member is referring to a culture base being part of the component. As the Member knows, we just introduced elders in schools, so we want to fully utilize those elders in schools, elders as part of the programming. One part of the learning themes is belonging, also becoming – those children are four-year-olds – to be independent, and learning areas such as living in a world, thinking, and also working, so those are just some of the patterns that will be taught as part of the four-year...

Mr. Chair, to my left is deputy minister of ECE, Gabriela Eggenhofer. To my immediate right is Dana Heide. He is the associate deputy minister, and also Marissa Martin is the director of finance and capital planning to my far right. Mahsi.

We are serious about qualifications, as well, for those professions that will be looking after our children, and junior kindergarten teachers obviously will be required to have the same basic qualifications as K to 12 NWT teachers. Most NWT teachers have a minimum of a Bachelor of Education degree, so that’s what we’re striving for, also the undergraduate degree in a specialized area, and a master’s degree. All junior kindergarten teachers will be required to be registered under the department’s ECE NWT teacher certification. The Member alluded to if there is going to be such training. All...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I’m pleased to present the 2014-2015 Main Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

The department’s fiscal summary proposes an overall ECE budget of $305.6 million, an increase of $6 million, or 2 percent, over the 2013-2014 Main Estimates. There is $154.9 million of the budget allocated to schools and school contributions for all programs, which represents close to 51 percent of our budget, and $33.5 million is allocated to Aurora College, which represents almost 11 percent of our budget.

The department has a key role to play in furthering this...