Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you very much, Mr. Koe. You got my vote. Clause 24. Mr. Koe.

Here, the student has been selected by the principal or under rules selected by the principal. I assume that the student's peers would select the representative but under the rules made by the principal, and then the student can now attend public meetings of the district authority. Again, I raise the same question, what about attending, as a student rep, divisional education council meetings?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

I don't believe there is anything in the present legislation that allows for it but nothing precludes it, either. This is primarily to ensure that we have student representation in determining matters that are local and that affect them directly in their schools. How the divisional education council deals with student participation is certainly a matter for them to decide. We wanted to ensure that students were participating in their particular community in their school.

Qujannamiik. Clause 24, I believe.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Clause 25. Yes, Mr. Koe.

I would just like to make a few comments on this section, parents' participation. It pertains to both clauses 25 and 26. There have already been many changes to these sections dealing with parents' participation, and I would like to make a few more comments on this issue.

I believe that today many parents have abrogated their responsibilities for their children; that is, it seems that many parents just don't care. They don't care about what happens to their children once their children leave home. I believe they feel that school is like a babysitting establishment and once a child is there it is up to the teachers and the principals to look after that child.

This shouldn't be the case. I believe parents have to care and they have to get involved in the education of their children. Many years ago, there used to be home and school associations which were quite active in the running and the activities in the schools, and these have eventually changed to community education councils, now to be known as district education authorities. Today, there are very rarely elections held for education councils. Most members are acclaimed or they get appointed to fill the vacancies. In this act, a lot of authority and responsibility will be given to the education authorities.

Therefore, it is in the interests of parents to get involved in the governance of our education system. Parents can no longer sit back and complain. To make changes or guide the process of education, you must get involved.

I would also like to comment about the responsibilities of parents to get involved in school activities by volunteering. This is not in the act, but I believe it should be mentioned. I know that many times school activities have been cancelled because they don't have enough supervisors or chaperones. Mr. Chairman, parents have to get more involved in their children's activities, many of which happen through the school. By volunteering for school activities, chaperoning dances, trips, sporting events, outings and the various clubs in the schools, they get to appreciate the qualities of their children, of the teachers and of the whole education system. Another area which should be mentioned was raised by the Yellowknife Education District No. 1 in their presentation to the committee; that is, we have rights as parents to participate, and sections 25 and 26 outline those, but we don't have any clauses that outline the consequences if they do not respond to what's in the act. I'll quote from Yellowknife Education District No. 1, " Educators must have the right and opportunity to appeal parental actions if they feel that they are not in the best educational interests of the child. The rights and responsibilities must be equal and reciprocal."

So, Mr. Chairman, these are some of the comments I wish to make respecting the roles and responsibilities of parents. Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Koe. Clause 25. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some difficulty in the wording of section 25(1). It says that: " A parent of a student is entitled, and has the responsibility, to be informed of the progress, behaviour and attendance of a the student and to be involved in making decisions that significantly affect the education, health or safety of the student." I agree with that concept, but I think that the parents have to be involved in the progress of the student. That opportunity should be available to the parents, to be involved in whichever way they can be in the whole process. The wording, "has the responsibility, to be informed", I think, is the other way around. I think it's the responsibility of the educational institution to make sure that the parent is entitled to the student's progress in the educational system, rather than saying it's up to the parent. I don't really know what the wording here means, but it should be stronger than that.

I see an educational system as a holistic approach, and it shouldn't be separate from the everyday life of a whole family. The family has to be involved in the educational process. This section allows that to happen, but I think the wording should be a little more clear than what it is. I would like to ask the Minister if he understands what I am talking about and if there is any way to strengthen that section? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Actually, we thought, Mr. Chairman, that section 25 and 26 really incorporated exactly what the honourable Member has mentioned, because the present, existing bill really had nothing to do with, or nothing to say about parents' participation. So that was our intention. We thought from our review through the standing committee that we added a few clauses that actually incorporated and responded to that. So the comments of the honourable Member are actually incorporated in both clauses. There is a component that I think Mr. Koe mentioned that you can't always rely on the system itself to be responsible for your child. At some time, as a parent, you have a responsibility to be part of the process.

What this section also does is it not only ensures responsibility, but it also indicates that parents are entitled to be part of the process now. Historically, they have not been involved in the process, and what we are saying here is that they are entitled to be part of it, but part of that entitlement also includes a responsibility to participate.

The other thing is, there were additional educational health and safety matters because previously, in the Education Act, one only focused on educational programming and I think the standing committee said there is the issue of health and safety for a student who is attending school and there are concerns that, as educators, we might not be aware of, in the home or in the community that could be causing problems. We wanted to include all those components, certainly in response to the comments the honourable Member has made.

Thank you. Clause 25. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to make the further comment that I think this section is good in the act. As the Minister said, in the past, parents weren't really involved. I'm thinking way back, looking back on my education, when my father, who speaks only Dene, was never involved in the education process. The language, alone, did not allow him to be involved in the education of myself and the rest of my family, and I think that's the case with a lot of people here from my generation. But now it's different.

I think a lot of parents today are beginning to get involved in the education of their children more. They have to be assured that the Education Act allows them to be involved in the education of students. My point earlier was that this section allows that to happen, but the wording is kind of vague. So, I would like to make sure that the wording is clear, that the parents do get involved in the education of their children in this new act. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Minister. Agreed? Clause 25. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you. I believe that was a point you wanted to make. Or did you want to make a motion? Mr. Minister.

If I could, there is just one matter I think we should be clear about. If a parent is to be involved, they have to be informed, so a parent has to be informed first,

before they're actually involved in the decisions. That's why it was put in the context it was.

Thank you. Mr. Minister, are you done? Mr. Minister, you have the floor.

Mr. Chairman, it does all the things that the honourable Member mentioned. We were just trying to...

Thank you. Clause 25.

Agreed,

---Agreed