Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are not talking about an individual education plan. We are talking about a curriculum which is broadly based for all of the students of the Northwest Territories. For instance in the past, given the results we have seen in some of the School Achievement Indicators Program testing, we have undertaken exercises, like establishing a math camp, to prepare more grade nine students to enter the academically challenging Math 10 course. We have taken on the task of working with the Western Consortium which is a group of four provinces and the Yukon Territory and ourselves, to develop a common math and english language arts curriculum. So, we can say we are expecting the same sort of outcomes at the same levels in school.

We have worked at strengthening the whole numeracy and literacy curriculum to try and improve the results of our students in the territories. We are not trying to use the results to say one school is performing better than another. What we are doing is trying to assess how the curriculum in general is performing in the Northwest Territories. The individual school results are measured by the divisional education councils and the superintendents by making sure the students in each grade are performing to the levels set in the existing curriculum and by watching for problem areas. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. All areas would be affected, particularly by linguistic background, in test performance. The cultural background would have a different level, depending on the subject area, of importance. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as I have said, grade 12 graduation requires students to take departmental exams which we share with Alberta. We do get a comparison at the grade 12 level as to how our students are doing with a southern jurisdiction. To develop our own testing for ages 13 to 16 would be very expensive. The development of the tests would be expensive, administering them would be expensive. You are still left with only one test getting only a snapshot. It is much better to assess a students performance because of the different learning styles people have over the course of a year. That is why each of the divisional education councils and their superintendents are tasked with watching students' performance throughout the school year. To ensure they are meeting the levels expected that are set out in the existing curriculum. I think we have a relatively good system of assessing how our students are doing in the north. The amount of money it would take to set up a valid testing process, I would argue, is much better spent getting resources into the classroom. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand the system through out the territories uses an automatic passing system. I wonder if the Minister could explain it to me, what it is and how it works?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not know if that is the system used throughout the territories. Whether or not a student is progressed on to the next grade is something that is handled by each of the divisional education councils and divisional education authorities in the Northwest Territories. The Member wants to know why some do it. Being a non-educator, I am not sure if I am qualified to give all the arguments for why it is considered to be more appropriate to keep students within their age group, rather than making students repeat. I do know that from what I have read, the success rate of students who are forced to repeat a grade is close to nil. Therefore, there does not seem to be much point in forcing students to repeat. Perhaps by keeping a student in school and progressing with their age group, they have a better chance of picking up some of the skills that will help them be more successful in life, even if they have not successfully concluded the previous year. I can only offer that as a possible explanation, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. While I appreciate the Minister's comments and explanation of that, statistically in 1991, we had 1,589 students in senior high and in 1995/96, we had 3,371. In other words, more than double the number of students in senior high. When I look at the graduation figures of senior high, they have not substantially changed. In 1990, it was 203. Then in 1992/93, it did jump to 254, but there has been no change in '94/95. There are only 273 graduates. These students are progressed on by each educational authority and because the department has to put in exams at grade 12, could it be these students are just not meeting the requirements?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As I explained in response to Mr. Henry, the participation rate typically leads the graduation rate by a significant portion of time. What we have found when we have offered grade 10, for instance, in a community where it was never offered before, where we might have expected there would be two, three, or four students carrying on from grade nine to grade 10, we have received not only those two, three, or four students, but another ten who are in the community, who had dropped out of a residential school. The participation rate has gone up significantly. We have received a lot of students back into the system who had already left the system. It will take some time for those graduation numbers to improve. Again, some of them may not complete grade 12, but it does not mean they are not further ahead for having completed grades 10 and 11. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, I appreciate the Minister's explanation. Yes, I agree with him. It is important to get students back into the system. Really, if we do not have some sort of criteria by which they are evaluated - students seem to be progressed by each authority. When they do have an exam, such as the departmental exams, they are not able to graduate the numbers. This says to me that all through the system there are some tremendous shortcomings. Even though we have so many students in grade 11, if they cannot meet certain criteria, then why would they be in grade 11 or grade 10?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think I have answered the question. The grade extension programs started with the last government. Grade extensions started to be offered in only a few communities in the early '90s. We are up to where they are being offered in 30 communities. Each year, as we offer the grade extensions in more communities, we get more students. I think we will be able to demonstrate success. For instance, in 1981, a total of 365 students had passed grade 10, grade 11, and grade 12 English, and by 1992 that number had almost doubled to 655 students. The numbers are increasing. I am confident the graduation rate will continue to increase. It is a factor of needing to get the students into the system and participating in order for them to achieve graduation. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.