Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On to the topic of the Aboriginal Language Strategy.
Aboriginal Language Strategy
During the review of the main estimates, the department provided the Standing Committee on Social Programs a briefing on the Aboriginal Language Strategy. Many of the concepts, such as language nests, have been successful in other parts of the world where language and its associated culture has been in danger of being assimilated by a dominant culture.
Members of the committee note that the implementation of many of the facets of the Aboriginal Language Strategy will require buy-in from the local education authorities. Members are concerned the strategy assumes large volunteer participation by fluent members of a language group and that this may be a significant challenge in this day and age.
The strategy contains no money to provide remuneration to those people who get involved in the language nests. The committee wonders if there has been any interest expressed by persons eager to volunteer for this concept.
Members note that the Maori language nests that the department is holding up as the example of the success of such programs are staffed by paid members of the New Zealand Public Service called Kahanga Reo Kaiako.
The standing committee notes that many parts of the strategy are in the development phase and believes that the department has a lot of work to do before it can implement its Aboriginal Language Strategy.
On a related subject, Members remain concerned that the development of standards and certification for aboriginal translators and interpreters appears stalled. Committee members strongly believe that the lack of certification is impacting the ability of aboriginal Northerners to earn a living providing interpreter/translation services. Employers may be reluctant to pay aboriginal interpreter/translators the same as certified French interpreter/translators because of concerns about professional standards.
Towards Excellence
Members noted that the last Report on Education in the Northwest Territories: Towards Excellence was released in February 2000 for the school year 1998-1999. Members are disappointed that the department has not kept up with the original promise to release this report every second year and strongly encourage the department to keep the report current. Committee members look forward to seeing the next report by June 1st, 2002 as promised by the Minister.
Members would also like to see student debt load for post-secondary students included as one of the indicators included in Towards Excellence: A Report on Education in the Northwest Territories. Members are concerned the redesign of the Student Financial Assistance Program may adversely affect Northerners by putting an onerous debt load on returning students.
Recommendation
The Standing Committee on Social Programs recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment track student debt load as one of the indicators in Towards Excellence: A Report on Education in the Northwest Territories.
Adult Basic Education
Members noted that basic literacy programs are available in most communities. However, for students to advance past the basic literacy stage it is necessary for them to take accredited high school courses. It is understood that some of these high school courses are available on-line and can be accessed by students in the learning centres and after hours in the schools. Members believe that there must also be a resource person available to these students to provide tutoring assistance and technical support. Simple access to the necessary computer hardware and software will not ensure success.
Pupil-Teacher Ratio versus Student Support Services
The Standing Committee on Social Programs is extremely pleased that the department increased funding to decrease the pupil-teacher ratio in advance of the legislated requirement. This has meant that more money will be made available to the school boards for the provision of instructional services in these main estimates. However, members note that increased funding for the pupil-teacher ratio does not always relate directly to the actual number of students in a classroom. This is because the funding for pupil-teacher ratios can be used by the education authorities to fund positions like language and cultural specialists, guidance counsellors, vice-principals and shop and phys-ed teachers, or even to provide bussing.
So, even with the increase in funding to decrease the pupil-teacher ratio, it is possible that in some schools no increase in support will reach the students and teachers in the classroom. The requirement to increase support to teachers and students in the classroom was made very clear in the 2000 Student Support Needs Assessment.
Instead of putting all of the additional funding into the reduction of the pupil-teacher ratio, members of the standing committee proposed that the estimated $900,000 that would be necessary to meet next year's legislated requirement for student support funding be advanced to this year's main estimates. The department can then use the remaining additional funding to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in this fiscal year and then meet the legislated requirement next year by using the $900,000 that would have been used to meet the student support requirements.
Members passed this proposal on to the Accountability and Oversight committee in order that a recommendation could be made to the government to change the main estimates in advance of their presentation to the Legislative Assembly. We are very pleased that the Minister and the government accepted this recommendation.
Private Sector Development Fund
Members noted that this part of the Maximizing Northern Employment Strategy was very poorly advertised. This is the section of the strategy that provides funding support to private business so they can hire student interns.
Members received complaints from constituent business owners that they were unaware that the program was available and were not afforded an opportunity to apply for funding.
The standing committee recognizes the department was rushed in rolling out and setting up the parameters for funding eligibility and does not believe that there were any improprieties in funding allocation.
The Minister has committed to improving communication of the private sector development fund to the business community and ensuring a fair and equitable approval process. Members of the committee were satisfied with this commitment until it was noted that the government had taken out a four-page ad, at the fold, advertising the Maximizing Northern Employment Strategy and highlighting the private sector development fund in the January edition of the Far North Oil and Gas Review.
An examination of similar publications published at the same time and aimed at the mining and construction sectors revealed no such advertising. Members of the committee are now concerned that the government is only targeting the oil and gas sector for funding under the private sector development fund.
Nursing Program at Aurora College
Members of the standing committee remain convinced that the expansion of the Nursing Program at Aurora College is one of the Northwest Territories best options for ensuring a high quality, adequately staffed health care system. It is understood that the further expansion of the program is hindered by the lack of mentors and training opportunities available at the Stanton Regional Hospital.
That being said, there has been no evidence presented to the committee that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the Department of Health and Social Services, Aurora College and Stanton Regional Hospital have been working together to find ways to maximize opportunities to enrol more nurses into the nursing program.
Apprenticeship Training
The Standing Committee on Social Programs notes that funding for apprenticeship training has remained the same as contained in last year's main estimates. Members are extremely concerned that with all of the resource development projects expected in the next few years there may not be enough funding available for all interested Northerners to take advantage of apprenticeship opportunities.
The Minister did reassure the members that no NWT resident who qualified for an apprenticeship has been turned down yet. Members believe there is a need for the department to closely monitor and work with the resource developers to identify and fund apprenticeship positions.
Members note that we need a variety of different paths for young people to achieve their education, and with the tremendous potential for jobs in the trades, there needs to be more emphasis on programs like the Schools North Apprenticeship Program (SNAP). The committee has been a strong supporter of SNAP and members are disappointed that there has not been a significant expansion in the numbers of students participating in the program. The committee expects the department to make increased uptake a priority in the next fiscal year.
Literacy Funding to Organizations
Finally, Mr. Chairman, information provided to the committee during the main estimates indicated that the majority of funding in the Literacy Strategy listed under literacy funding for organizations actually was used to fund literacy activities in other departments. The committee does not argue with the need for funding the Department of Justice for literacy programs in the correctional centres. However, there was consensus that listing such funding under, Literacy Funding to Organizations, was a misnomer and that the main estimates should be changed to reflect that it now involves transfers to other departments.
Mr. Chairman, that ends the report of the standing committee on the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.