Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to announce today the appointment of members to the Minister's Forum on Schooling. The forum is a seven member committee that will travel to ten communities across the Northwest Territories. In the coming months it will hear from the public on the challenges and successes in our northern education system. The forum will look to the public to help examine the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's goals and activities in the kindergarten to grade 12 program. Debate on key issues will be encouraged. The results will provide me with the basis I need to form recommendations on the future direction of schooling.
The seven people who have been chosen as forum members are first, Mr. Robert Tordiff of Fort Smith and Ms. Mary Wilman of Iqaluit to co-chair the Forum. Other members of the group include Sheila Napayok, Sabet Biscaye, Gary Black, Ethel Blake and Uriash Puqiqnak. This group brings a very broad perspective and extensive experience to their work on the forum. Many have been directly involved in the delivery, management and governance of education and training programs.
By next April, the Minister's Forum will prepare two reports on their findings - one for the Northwest Territories and one for Nunavut. In the west, the report will be used to help update the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's Strategic Plan. In the east, the report will be given to the first Nunavut Minister of Education for their use.
It is important to recognize and understand the successes in northern education to date. The forum will look for suggestions on how to build on these successes and continue to improve education programs and resources in the north. It is important to also mention that community educators will be encouraged to actively participate in the consultation process. District education authorities, school principals and adult educators will be encouraged to host public forums in their communities. The results of these discussions will be forwarded to the forum.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the forum members for agreeing to undertake this work. It is a big commitment. I am confident that the forum will do a great job and I look forward to their reports after consultation with the public. Mahsi.