The Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is my understanding, yes. As the Member indicated, the work was done, the work was actually paid for after the Interim Appropriation Act was passed. It is my understanding that this is allowed under the Financial Administration Act.

Final supplementary, Mr. Morin.

The Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will confirm with the Finance Minister the fact that this, that I complied with the Financial Administration Act and get back to the Member. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. There has been a lot of discussion in this House with respect to the classroom sizes in our NWT schools and the pupil/teacher ratio. Could the Minister please, for the benefit of the House and the benefit of the public, explain to us how the pupil/teacher ratio is arrived at? Thank you.

Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The pupil/teacher ratio is part of the funding formula and is currently averaged out at about 18 students per teacher. It is part of the formula funding arrangement used to block fund DECs. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister said that this is what the pupil/teacher ratio is. I am asking how is that average or that ratio arrived at? Does it include every school in the Western Territory and every number of classrooms and divided? How is the average number arrived at? Thank you.

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The pupil/teacher ratio is a ratio of students to classroom teachers, support teachers, vice-principals, and principals. It excludes language specialist teachers and classroom assistants and categories requiring less than two years post-secondary training and restricted from full teaching duties. It is used as part of the formula funding for all schools and DECs in the Northwest Territories.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not intending to be repetitive, but how many schools are included in the rate that the Minister has quoted of 18 students per teacher? Thank you.

Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All of the schools are included. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is there any grouping of schools with respect to, does this include large communities, small communities, and is there a trend based on the size of the community? Would the size of the classrooms, for example, be smaller in a small community or larger? Thank you.

Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can give the Member an indication by region if that would assist her. The information I have in terms of the pupil/teacher ratios indicates, for instance, in the Deh Cho it is 15, in the South Slave it is 18/1, in Yellowknife Number One is 19.6, Yellowknife Two it is 19.5, Sahtu is 17.6. For the North Slave and Dogrib, the Divisional Board, it is 18.4. Beaufort Delta is 17.7. This is the average between K and nine, and ten to 12. The territorial average works out to 18.1.

Oral questions. Item 7, written questions. Mr. Morin.