Just a brief comment, Mr. Chairman. In 1985-86 we had better than 20 percent of the 18 year old population, by percentage in the Northwest Territories, graduating from high school. Since that year, we have never achieved the same level. It seems to me that this indicates that there is a real problem with the system. If we are spending as much money as we are, and we are not getting as many people to graduate as we did in the mid-80's, there is obviously something wrong.

I think it is very important that this strategy be developed, and that it be one that has really got some thought and some detail as to how it can be made to work, how the system can be made to work. Obviously, right now.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In 1990, the Minister of Education tabled the employment development strategy, which outlines three main thrusts to train northerners for present and future jobs, including labour market planning, employment support programs, and employment preparation programs. However, the committee fails to see the results of that strategy incorporated into the objectives listed in the 1992-93 Main Estimates.

Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Education incorporate the results of the employment development strategy into the objectives of the 1993-94 Main Estimates.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee is concerned that there is a lack of integration of high school and Arctic College. As a result, children are not being prepared in high school to proceed to Arctic College. There does not seem to be any development of career pathing.

Therefore, I move that this committee recommend that the Department of Education ensure that the education strategy and Arctic College strategy be integrated by October, 1993.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The reason for this recommendation is that the government, the Department of Education, has control over these two bodies. It would seem that in the past, there has been no coordination, so that there has been no career pathing. Someone who is coming up through the education system leading to further education, which could be undergone or undertaken by Arctic College, does not seem to follow a coordinated path. Right now, we are providing some people with the opportunity to go to southern institutions, whether it is post-secondary, or vocational, but it seems that there is almost a stop at the high school door, rather than taking advantage of the opportunities we have to provide northerners with education by continuing within the system through the Arctic College system, which we are continually developing in the centres throughout the north.

It seemed to the committee, that Arctic College was working on its own, the Department of Education with K-12 was working on its own, and as the Minister of Education pointed out in his paper, in preparing people for employment in the 1990's which was tabled document 31-90(1), Arctic College remains the primary delivery system for adult education and training in the N.W.T. That means that anybody who has gone past grade 12 has Arctic College, that more of them will have Arctic College as their option, than any other option. The two should be put together. In the past they have not. They have been operating on a stand alone basis.

This government cannot, or this department cannot plan to integrate or coordinate programs with other institutions other than talking to them, and trying to make sure that people are prepared to go into them. We have an opportunity with the Department of Education having responsibility for both K-12 and funding Arctic College, to ensure that there is a broad career pathing plan developed.

Not precisely, Mr. Chairman. What we want to make sure is, that for people who could gain further education through Arctic College, the transition is made easiest. In other words, that Arctic College liaise with schools to make sure that people are aware of what their programs are. That they are being properly trained so that when they say they want to take a certain course at Arctic College, they have to know ahead of time what courses are prerequisites and that they have fulfilled all that they can at the high school level in order to ensure that when they make the next step into Arctic College, that it is easy. It is to try and facilitate further education in the north, through the Arctic College system.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee Members also expressed concern over the apparent lack of success that of the G.N.W.T. apprentice programs, that lead to full-time employment. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Education report on the success of G.N.W.T. apprenticeship programs that lead to full-time employment in the 1993-94 main estimates.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee recognized a growing need for special needs education, due to such factors as fetal alcohol syndrome, for example. We cannot ignore the need for special education and care, however, we must also deal with the root causes and take preventative action.

The committee sensed a general frustration through the 1992-93 main estimates, that we were running out of fingers to plug the hole, when we were being flooded with serious requirements for help. There must be a change in attitude to focus on preventative action. We must stop building buildings, and start building people. For example, if we do not stop the parental alcohol abuse, what will the costs be ten years from now.