Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Nitah on February 27, 2002, regarding school grade promotion policy.
Mr. Nitah asked if the Department of Education, Culture and Employment keeps statistics on how many students from small communities have to go back a grade when they move and go to school in a larger centre.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment does not keep statistics on student placement. Placement decisions are made at the school level and involve many factors, including age, social development of the student and the size of classes. There are often children working at several grade levels in any one classroom.
A guiding document for student placement is the department's inclusive schooling directive, which stipulates that all students have the right to participate in educational programs offered in a regular classroom setting with their age peers. For the most part, that is what is happening in NWT schools.
There may be situations where a decision is made not to place a student in a regular classroom or with his or her peers, but such a decision would be arrived at with much deliberation and would involve discussions with the students, parents or guardians.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.