Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
General
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment supplies a wide range of services. These include early childhood programs; school services; education, careers and employment for adults; income support; culture, heritage and languages; and the directorate, regional administration and information networks.
The Business Plan
During the review of the business plan, it was observed that, over the past three years, the department has had little consistency in its strategies, outcomes and outcome measures. This, compounded with the majority of the targets being vague, make it extremely difficult for the department, let alone committee members, to evaluate progress.
This is not the first time that the department has been cited for the lack of detail in the department's plans. In the committee's Report on the Review of the 1999-2002 Business Plans and 1999-2000 Main Estimates, the committee expressed concern regarding the lack of detail in the goals, measures, targets and strategies in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's business plans.
The 2000-2003 departmental business plans stated:
"The department's strategies and objectives have been updated in the 2000-2001 business plan to reflect the input that the department received in updating its strategic plan in 1999. They have also been updated to reflect linkages to the broad goals of the Government of the Northwest Territories as outlined in Towards a Better Tomorrow (page 55; 2000-2003 business plans)".
Again, the department was vague when stating their new targets and outcome measures leaving the committee unsure of what it was the department was trying to achieve. Further, in reference to the department's comment about the "2000-2001 business plan", business plans are for a three-year period, yet the department is approaching planning as a one-year process. Over time, Ministers will change. Long range strategies and targets must be in place and worked toward regardless of Ministerial changes.
Outcomes and Outcome Measures - Aboriginal Teachers
Members noticed that the department did not supply a hard figure in the target for the number of aboriginal teachers in northern classrooms. The committee is of the opinion that the department must reinstate a target number for aboriginal teachers in Northwest Territories classrooms and this should be representative of the population it serves. Further, the committee expressed concern that Aurora College should also be trying to increase the number of aboriginal instructors in their programs.
Early Childhood Programs
During the review of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the Minister stated that the department was working with the Department of Health and Social Services in a framework for the review of the Healthy Children's Initiative and the development and implementation of an inter-departmental territorial agenda for children.
In presentations made to the committee by the Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Education, differences in terminology and direction between the two departments were noted. Because of this, the committee wonders whether there really are meaningful discussions taking place between the two departments. The Members need to see demonstrable proof that the departments are indeed working together.
School Services - Student Support and Pupil-Teacher Ratio
In March of this year, the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories passed amendments to the NWT Education Act to supply additional funding for student support services. Subsequently, a student needs assessment survey is being conducted to identify the scope of individuals requiring assistance. The public and educators have identified student support as a critical area that needs to be addressed. The committee was disconcerted that the department had not identified student support services as a critical issue and failed to address it in their business plans.
Members are concerned that the pupil-teacher ratio reduction accomplished by the recent amendments to the Education Act will not actually impact on the number of students in the classroom or provide any extra assistance for special needs. Members will not be pleased if these amendments result in more administrators rather than actual assistance in the classroom.
The department informed the committee that the School Planning and Resource Committee would be making recommendations for disbursement of special needs funding. The department further indicated that it did not see student support funding being linked to individual students. Recognizing the existence of magnet communities, the committee is concerned that a per capita only funding formula for special needs funding may be used.
It is the opinion of the Members that funding must match community requirements; per capita only funding would be unacceptable unless it can be proven to be fair.
Number of Grade 10 Students
The committee reviewed enrollment numbers for the past ten years and noted that there is constantly a "bulge" in the enrollment at the grade 10 level. There are consistently more students in grade 10 than in grade 9 in the previous year. It is also observed that there is not a corresponding increase in grade 11 enrollment the following year.
Committee members believe that the bulge in Grade 10 enrollment may have more to do with the lack of Adult Basic Education programs in the communities than any other factor cited by the department.
The department referred the committee to the departmental publication Towards Excellence - A Report on Education in the Northwest Territories 99. Towards Excellence cites a number of factors that contribute to the bulge: a proportion of youth re-entering the system who do not become part of a progressive group moving through the system; students who gained access through grade extensions; and students who decided to make high school their "productive choice" in order to access income support. The report also states that grade 10 reflects a shift in emphasis from placement to promotion as the basis for designating grade levels.
The department indicated that more analysis was being done on the grade 10 bulge. The committee agrees that there is a need for more analysis and looks forward to being appraised of any new findings.
Mr. Chairman, if I can ask my colleague, the deputy chair, Mr. McLeod to carry on with the report, please?