Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On behalf of the committee, we wish to commend the department for recognizing the problems within the education system, and initiating the effort to put a plan together. We have to say that we are totally astounded to find when the process started, when the capital budget was first presented to us, that there was no plan. At least, there was not one that seemed to be very coherent and cohesive. So, it is a good start, but we have to recognize that it is a difficult task, and there is a diversity of opinion on how to bring about results, but still, if we are only getting 25 percent of the students who enter the education system graduating, compared to a national average of 70 percent, we have only got 33 percent of the civil service aboriginal, and with the government finding that it must still advertise for secretaries in the south, the current performance of the education system is unacceptable. I would like to point out, too, Mr. Chairman, that aboriginal people make up 58 percent of the population, and 72 percent of the school enrolment, but only five percent of aboriginal students who start school graduate from grade 12. I think that is a disgrace, Mr. Chairman, and something that has to be dealt with, and at the community level. We were totally surprised that the process is just getting under way now to come up with a strategy to deal with it. We realize that the external environment, parental alcohol abuse, overcrowded houses, sexual abuse, unemployment etc., has an adverse effect on children's ability to learn. We also recognize, when the Minister said the department is a small part of the partnership, that there are a lot of partners in education: the students; parents; teachers; and the school boards; etc., however, with a budget of about $200 million annually, the department has the resources and mandate to act as a leader and a catalyst to achieve greater results.
Charles Dent on General Comments
In the Legislative Assembly on September 15th, 1992. See this statement in context.
General Comments
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
September 14th, 1992
Page 929
See context to find out what was said next.