Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this summer a constituent reached out to my office, and their story left a lasting impression on me. Their child, like one in five Canadians, has dyslexia, which creates challenges in learning to read. The child was not diagnosed until grade 5 however, when their family took the initiative to get them assessed in the private sector. This family was lucky enough to have insurance through their employer which covered the assessment, but this is not the case for all NWT kids. The assessment report was forwarded to the school who developed the learning plan, which is a good step. But, Mr. Speaker, this disability should have been detected sooner, and I am concerned about how many kids in the territory with learning impediments like dyslexia are going undiagnosed.
Literacy is foundational to learning, Mr. Speaker, but we have very little data on our progress on literacy in the NWT. The last time a comprehensive study of adult literacy was done was over 20 years ago in 2003. These data indicated that at the time, roughly 43 percent of working NWT adults performed at literacy levels 1 and 2, which are considered below the level needed to function in modern society. The NWT has not taken part in more recent global literacy surveys, such as the OECD 2024 program for the international assessment of adult competencies. Meanwhile, our last territorial literacy strategy covered the period 2008 to 2018 and, to my knowledge, it has been not renewed or updated since.
Other jurisdictions are well ahead of the territory on this issue, Mr. Speaker. In Alberta, in 2022, literacy and numeracy screening assessments became mandatory for students in grade 1 to 3, ensuring that students are receiving essential foundational learning in the critical early years of their education. BC and Saskatchewan are also rolling out mandatory early screening intervention and outreach in their provinces' schools. Mr. Speaker, the Yukon presented their renewed literacy strategy in 2023. It is the result of working group recommendations for culturally responsive teaching methods based on the latest research, and it includes early screening done in the territory's schools.
Making sure our children are given every opportunity to develop their literacy skills shouldn't be an afterthought, Mr. Speaker. We need to make sure early literacy screening and assessments are done in our schools and that schools are equipped with trained staff and proven instructional methods to ensure our students are not falling behind. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Frame Lake.
Colleagues, I'd like to recognize newly elected grand chief for the Tlicho, former Member of the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th Assembly. I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Jackson Lafferty in the 18th and 19th. So welcome to our Assembly.
Member’s statements.
