Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Currently, we contribute approximately $26 million towards inclusive schooling and $666,000 to a Student Success Initiative. It may not capture every challenge that there is in the school system. That’s the very reason why we are going to re-evaluate our inclusive schooling funding. We’ve been told, when visiting communities, that they should be based on students’ needs, special students and so forth, special needs. Those are the factors that will be taken into consideration. I will be addressing it with the standing committee.

Mr. Speaker, we’re currently doing an educational review. It is complex. When we talk about the overall review of the NWT education system, that means we have to amend the Education Act. There’s going to be engagement with the general public, as well, and then also the MLAs to provide their input where the changes should be occurring.

With inclusive schooling, there’s a comprehensive study that’s going to be happening, engagement, and also education renewal. That’s going to be slated for this fall. I’m hoping to complete it by this fall so I can present it to the standing committee and before...

I spoke earlier about various research that we are currently undertaking, because this is a complex document that we’re faced with when we talk about the renewal. There have been other studies. As the Member alluded to, the Finnish system that he shared with us. I can share what we currently have, but it’s all preliminary right now. Once it’s available to me, then I can share with the standing committee the updated status in due time.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Peer passing is part of the school system within our education system, where individuals are passed through grades to be with their peers. There has been a lot of research done in this area. We’ve done a lot of consultation and engagement with the various stakeholders not only in the Northwest Territories but outside. We have individual experts in that field who gave us presentations that said that there are stats out there and that peer passing is one of those fundamental ways of dealing with children, whereas frustration kicks in and so forth. We’re doing what we can with...

Mahsi. With any review, evaluation, comprehensive review, there are expected changes that will be coming. If there’s going to be an increase in cost, then that will be before standing committee. So I will be addressing through standing committee when the time comes. Mahsi.

I agree with the Member that we need to hear from those individuals that are front-line teachers, because they are the ones who are exposed to the special needs children in our school system. I’m sure they have ideas and suggestions that we can work with. My department will be reaching out to those individual teachers that are front-line workers, not only administrators. I agree; we need to reach out to beyond administrators, similar to what we have done in the past with various initiatives that we have undertaken re-evaluating programs.

Since I’ve taken on the role as Minister of ECE five...

Mahsi. During the last budget debate we went through some challenges and had to work closely with the standing committee to make some changes. It wasn’t just my decision. The early childhood development was the forefront of our discussion. So we had to allocate money from within and we had to find the funds.

But I must remind the House that there is a comprehensive review that has been undertaken for inclusive schooling. So I’m looking forward to the input from engagements and the stakeholders. If we’re going to make changes, I need to stand before the standing committee, make a presentation...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Part of the plan, as we move forward, is to re-evaluate our interest in schooling, the funding that’s been distributed to all school boards. Part of the planning is to develop a comprehensive engagement plan. We’d like to hear from the stakeholders and professions, educators, the people that are involved, the resources. Based on the outcome of the report, the recommendation, we’ll more than likely come back here to standing committee to make a presentation. If we’re going to make some changes, then, of course, there’s also a cost factor. I will be tabling that document in...

Mahsi. I kind of knew that was coming. This is an area that we’ve explored and we have extended our NUP lease agreement. Currently, we are discussing, between my department, PWS and also the Executive, how we can look at options at this level. We want to see a stand-alone campus. That’s part of our long-term goal, that is our objective and we need to work towards that. So the discussion is happening and we’re asking for our outside options, as well, how the private sector can play a key role. So those are discussions that we’re currently having. We can provide some of the updates to the...

Mr. Speaker, I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but we are currently going through the review process. That’s what we heard from the general public and from the Members of this Assembly, so we are moving forward on that. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.