This is page numbers 367 - 397 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was education.

Topics

Further Return To Question 210-12(5): Success Rate Of Akaitcho Vs Home Boarding Students
Question 210-12(5): Success Rate Of Akaitcho Vs Home
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 373

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the honourable Minister for Education, Culture and Employment. First of all, I would like to commend the government for a job well done by having students outside of Yellowknife coming to Yellowknife by way of a program by this government.

Secondly, I would like to thank the staff at Akaitcho Hall for looking after students from my area.

Thirdly, I would like to thank the people from Yellowknife for allowing the students from outside of Yellowknife to come to Yellowknife.

Madam Speaker, my kids had the opportunity to attend school in Yellowknife. Their second home has been, for the past few years, Akaitcho Hall, which is very important. My question to the Minister is, has the Cabinet given approval in principle to the closure of Akaitcho Hall? The closure is due by June 30, 1994. Has the final decision been made on the closure of Akaitcho Hall? Thank you.

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Return To Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 373

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, the final decision has been made that we will be closing

Akaitcho Hall and will be moving more into home boarding in this community.

Return To Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 374

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Supplementary To Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

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John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Supplementary to the same Minister, through you. A few years ago when Mr. Kakfwi was the Minister of Education, I asked the same question about the possibility of the closure of Akaitcho Hall. At that time, the honourable Minister indicated to me, to the House, that the closure was not in the plan of the government unless we have high schools in all the communities. This is not the case. Why was the decision made even though there is no high school in my community? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 374

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I can't answer for Mr. Kakfwi. The fact is that I've inherited an initiative that he started, and that was the regional high school program area, in fact, the initiative of moving toward community high school programs.

What we have to understand is, as a government, we also have to consider the matter of costs to run particular programs. The other element that is important for us to consider is that there are now, in Yellowknife for instance, over 100 additional home boarding opportunities for our children. There is a reduction in the total students who are going to be attending high school in Yellowknife because of our regional high school programming that is being offered, and the possibility of extending those particular high school grades in our communities.

In that sense, I think we're doing a better job and I think we'll be more successful in retaining or keeping our high school students in high school. Many of them drop out because they are concerned about their homes and their families at the community level.

I guess I speak as a former student who spent 13 years...I don't know how many of you here spent 13 years in the student residence, but I spent 13 years away from my family. I will tell you that I would rather have these young students staying home with their family, rather than spending as much time away from their home as I did.

Further Return To Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 374

The Speaker

Thank you. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark. Supplementary.

Supplementary To Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 374

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Now that we have established that the closure of Akaitcho Hall is imminent, we know it's going to be closed, there is speculation in the air that perhaps Arctic College may take over the facility, or the private sector. What is the fate of Akaitcho Hall? Is anyone taking over the facility to perhaps take in students from outside of this community? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 374

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 374

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have not, at this time, made any decisions about the future use of Akaitcho Hall. What we have done is established a group in the government to review proposals. A number of agencies have indicated the possible utilization of Akaitcho Hall. One is Yellowknife Education District No. 1 in terms of our discussions with transfer of Sir John to their authority. Secondly, Arctic College is another agency that has expressed an interest in the possible utilization of college programming at Akaitcho. So, in that sense, we have not made any determination at this particular juncture.

Further Return To Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 211-12(5): Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 374

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. On the subject of Akaitcho Hall, I was one of the first students in that residence back in 1958. I spent considerable time in residential school, myself. So did my brothers. I had two brothers attend Akaitcho. So the Minister doesn't have a monopoly on being in residential schools, if that's governing the decisions being made about residential schools.

I want to ask a question about the purpose for closing Akaitcho Hall. I guess it's been cited that there's a decline in the number of students. The place can't operate unless it's full, or a majority full. I would like to know whether the decline in the number of students in Akaitcho Hall is because the students didn't want to come to Akaitcho Hall, or because their parents didn't want them to come to Akaitcho Hall, or because the department didn't want them to come to Akaitcho Hall for education. What would be the factors?

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Return To Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 374

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I didn't say I had a monopoly, I had suggested I wouldn't want other students to stay away from home as long as I did, and I think there are others who did.

Madam Speaker, there are a number of factors that are important when you review the whole matter of the closure of Akaitcho Hall, and the whole matter of the transfer of Sir John. The increasing number of community secondary schools has meant that the number of students coming to Yellowknife for their high school education is decreasing each year. In our anticipation, for instance, for September of 1994, it's expected to be about 50 students who will be continuing their high school education in Yellowknife. In other words, we are not asking those students who already began their high school program here to move out of Yellowknife. These students presently can be accommodated more effectively and at less cost through home boarding. The Executive Council has given approval for closure effective June 30. We are treating our staff, under the workforce adjustment program, as fairly as we can. Those, in my view, are some of the factors.

The other issue is there is a cost factor if you review it. The resulting savings are 26 PYs at a cost of $2.7 million in salaries and O and M costs. There are other potential savings and utility costs, but I am not sure about those. Generally speaking, those are the factors we had to consider. There will be an ongoing decline in the total number of students as these students graduate and as we improve community secondary programs.

Return To Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 375

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary To Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 375

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it is hard to argue against the value of education in your own community. It is also difficult to argue against the value of education away from home. It is a well-known fact that when you travel, you gain additional knowledge. Akaitcho Hall, in conjunction with Sir John Franklin, offered many people in communities opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have. Many of the Members have expressed that here and I will also express that. If a student decides they want to get an education away from their home community, for a variety of reasons that are very well-known to Members of this House, will this opportunity still be available to them to get education in Yellowknife or Fort Smith, et cetera?

Supplementary To Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 375

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs, Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 375

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Under the policies that have been approved by this Assembly, the ability for students to move from region to region will be much more restricted. In fact, in some cases, the opportunity will not be available to them. However, most of the resources we have for secondary schooling are now being transferred to the divisional boards. They can make a decision, if they so choose, to provide the assistance and resources to students who wish to attend school outside their particular area. As such, we have made a choice of removing ourselves from the daily operational decisions that we were formerly involved in because we have given authority to the divisional and regional boards.

Further Return To Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Question 212-12(5): Reason For Decline In Students At Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 375

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to follow up on Mr. Whitford's question with regard to the decline of students going to Akaitcho Hall. I didn't hear the Minister say whether it was because students were not allowed to come to Akaitcho Hall that the decline has been created. I would like to ask the Minister if one of the factors -- the decline in Akaitcho Hall numbers -- is as a result of students not being allowed to come to Yellowknife.

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs, Mr. Nerysoo.

Return To Question 213-12(5): Factors In Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 213-12(5): Factors In Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 375

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With the increasing number of community programs, in other words high school programs and high schools that are being established, we are seeing a reduced number of those students who used to come to Yellowknife for high school. For instance, in Kitikmeot, you have many students now deciding to stay in the Kitikmeot, both in Cambridge Bay and Coppermine, along with some of the students who are attending other high school programs in their communities. Those students in Rankin Inlet, Arviat, Baker Lake and now Coral Harbour used to attend this high school. Many of those students do not come back now to this high school because of those programs. That is generally the biggest reason as to why students are not returning to Yellowknife.

Return To Question 213-12(5): Factors In Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Question 213-12(5): Factors In Closure Of Akaitcho Hall
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 375

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.