Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues.

OAG Recommendation (Paragraph 92 of the OAG report)

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment, in collaboration with Aurora College, should:

•

establish key performance indicators and

targets for expected results for adult literacy and basic education programs;

•

review the reporting requirements of the adult literacy and basic education directive to ensure that key information is being collected;

•

ensure these reporting requirements are

coordinated with those of the literacy strategy;

•

monitor adherence to these reporting

requirements, and take formal action in cases where requirements are not met; and

•

periodically assess gaps in performance,

identify root causes and establish detailed action plans to help close the gaps.

ECE’s action plan indicates it will be conducting a formal evaluation of the Adult Literacy and Basic Education program in 2010. Results will be used to determine further actions related to this recommendation.

The Department is developing a tool to track planning, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of advanced education activities, and a youth literacy gap analysis is being completed.

The OAG states that reporting on the post-secondary system is not timely.

Four years has passed since the post-secondary version of Towards Excellence was issued with details on performance indicators like enrolments and number of graduates by program.

Reporting makes ECE and Aurora College accountable to the public for student performance.

OAG Recommendation (Paragraph 96 of the OAG report)

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment, in collaboration with Aurora College, should:

•

review the performance indicators it reports

publicly; and

•

publish these indicators regularly.

ECE has stated it will work with Aurora College to review performance indicators and to coordinate the publishing of reports.

SCOGO looks forward to the tabling of the 2009 Towards Excellence report.

Recommendation 5

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that when the Department of Education, Culture and Employment plans and designs a new program or initiative, it identifies the means to be used to assess, measure and report on the program or initiative.

Conclusion

Having completed its review of the Report of the Auditor General on Education in the Northwest Territories, the committee acknowledges the commitment and dedication of education councils and Aurora College. It recognizes the many challenges facing ECE and suggests that it is not a matter of offering more programs, but a matter of focusing on improving delivery of basic programming as well as improving delivery of programs that prove effective in achieving higher student success rates. Members are hopeful that the organization is willing to rally its staff to address these challenges. If these challenges are not addressed, children, youth and adults in our education system will suffer the consequences.

Recommendation 6

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment provide periodic updates on the progress of the implementation of the Auditor General’s recommendations through status reports to the Standing Committee on Social Programs.

Recommendation 7

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.