Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to present the comments of the Standing Committee on Finance on the Department of Education, Culture and Employment Programs budget for 1993-94.
Mr. Chairman, it is clear to the committee that the department is working hard to develop a strategy to significantly improve success in education. We appreciate that. We have noted, particularly with respect to the $6 million employment fund, and for all education programs, that the department cannot simply provide funding and delegate totally to communities. Some communities need support and direction to create improvements in education and employment programs. We need to ensure that long-term benefits are realized and that initiatives do not become make-work projects.
The goal is to try to get meaningful programs working that will see people gain skills which will enable them to keep and obtain long-term jobs. Further, it appears to us that the department should sit on the community transfer committee, since training and employment issues are so critical to its success. We also note that the Government of the Northwest Territories is the only jurisdiction in Canada without a management training program tailored to its own civil service. We have noted this with the Department of Personnel and we urge the Department of Education to encourage them to move quickly in the development of a management training program. Government priorities should drive staff development, training and educational leave programs.
Mr. Chairman, the education budget is the largest, some 20 per cent of this government's resources. Continued improvement is an urgent matter. We must improve literacy and employment rates. We should be accessing available unemployment insurance commission, UIC, funds for training, literacy, et cetera. The pace of change in the communities should be accelerated. Parent and community involvement in education must be increased. This committee will continue to push the department to accomplish more and await the education strategy to be put forward in the fall. The committee would like to see teachers' performance reviewed along with that of their students. We would like to see all of our students meet established educational standards and promote consistency in education across the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Chairman, in concluding these comments, I will now put a motion to the committee. It is the only motion for this department.