EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Again, Mr. Chairman, I believe that a lot of the work done in this area as far as attendance were working on and develop the student information system so that there can be a consistent means of recording that information across the territory.
Right now, there are three different systems and one in each region and it’s not always being applied consistently, so we’re trying to get this up and running.
Right now, as I said before this year, we used to just get those reports twice a year and now we’re getting them monthly from the schools as part of the principals’ report.
So we’re looking at getting the information in a more timely and consistent manner to try and identify and address the attendance issues.
We have also done in-service training with the district education authorities and the schools for the development of an attendance policy with them.
I think there has been a lot of work done over the last couple of years to provide a safe school environment.
I think everyone felt that that might have been one of the challenges of why some of these young people were not attending, because it was not a warm, welcoming environment in the school.
We have also done some work in trying to engage the parents. One thing, as I had indicated in my opening comments and last week, is that there needs to be a partnership where it’s not just the school that’s responsible for ensuring that a child is attending school.
There is also a role on behalf of the parents as well to ensure that their child is attending school and ready to learn when they’re there.
We’re looking at developing a tripartite type of partnership between the teachers, the parents, and the students to have them all involved where they have parent-teacher interviews, where they’re including the student, where they’re developing portfolios to show what their work was like when they started at whatever part of the school year and as they move along, they’re added into their portfolio to show the improvement that they have made in the work. A lot of it is just parental engagement.
I think we need to really work with the school and the staff in the school need to work with the district education authority and the parents to really ensure that people are attending school.
As far as school completion, this is something that I was talking about last week where we’re looking at developing standards or developing a new assessment system within the schools to be able to assess the students and be able to identify where they may need extra work.
If school staff see that a student is having problems, there are requirements, I believe, to identify that to the school team and, if necessary, develop an individual learning plan for that individual to be able to help move them forward.
I think we’re also taking steps in looking at developing and providing other opportunities within the system, whether they’re multiple options type programs, to have programming that will attract and retain students in the programs so that they can continue and complete their schooling.
Mr. Rumbolt, do you have some more questions?
The minister mentioned that the policies were slightly different in the three regions.
Will you be moving towards implementing the same policies in all schools?
Are you talking about the attendance policies?
Mr. Chairman, I believe what the department is doing is providing training to the district education authorities.
They are the ones that are responsible for developing the attendance policies in the communities.
So we’re providing training to them and ideas of this is what it should consist of for their policy.
Once those policies are developed and approved by the district education authorities, they are sent on to us.
With the new student information system, we want to just make sure how attendance is calculated and recorded is done in a consistent manner all across the territory.
Like I said, right now, there are three different systems. When I talk about systems, the different computer programs or systems in each region are not all the same. So we’re hoping to have one system that would recognize the input from all of the communities that would be inputted in a consistent manner.
My last question will be: what is the current status of the new high school graduation requirements and what is your department doing to ensure that they are comparable to high school graduation standards in other jurisdictions across Canada?
As far as I’m aware, there have been no changes other than the requirement for the Aulajaaqtut program.
As I indicated earlier, prior to the department implementing any of the curricula that we develop to be delivered in the high school system, they’re run by different post-secondary institutions in the south.
If you look at the Aulajaaqtut program in grade 10 and 12, that’s something that was sent out to, I believe, about 24 or 26 different post-secondary institutions in the south to ensure that it would comply with their entrance requirements.
They have all indicated that it did.
Any curriculum that is being developed to be implemented is undergoing that same process. We are ensuring that it meets the requirements of the post-secondary institutions in the south prior to implementing it.
About two years ago, in fact, I think, to be exact, we celebrated the graduation of the Teacher Education Program.
I think there were about nine or ten students who successfully graduated from the program.
If there are challenges, we want to know what the challenges are, Mr. Chairman.
Are we under G-8, Mr. Chairman?
My wife just left and I was daydreaming again.
She’s leaving and I want her to be safe, so my mind was elsewhere.
Mr. Minister, your business plan for 2010-12 discusses a number of educator training initiatives, including teacher education programs in the communities, Inuit language specialists, school counsellors, and student support assistants.
Have these initiatives been successful and, if not, what are the main challenges in this area?
I think the program that is out there, the NTEP program, is successful. The only challenge is that we need more students. I believe there are about 10 different programs being offered across the territory right now with a total of about 98 students enrolled in that program, so it’s nice to see that we’re seeing increasing numbers there.
We just need more individuals to enter into the program.
We’re developing a community school counsellor program right now. We hope to have it implemented and start training of that next year.
Right now, we’re also taking a look at our NTEP program. It’s geared towards K-6 teaching.
We’re also looking at developing a middle school NTEP program, so it would allow graduates from that program to work in the middle school area.
We’re also looking at what it would take to develop a program for high school teachers as well.
I know for high school, they need their Bachelor of Education. That’s something that we have been encouraging over the years through different leadership programs, graduates from the NTEP program to continue on for their Master of Education.
Right now, there are 22 educators who have recently started the second round of their master’s program. We are making progress there. We just need more numbers of people to get into the program.
Like I said, the focus of NTEP up to now has been in the primary grades, strictly because that’s where the language of instruction requirement was and the biggest need and we’re seeing the larger numbers.
But having had that run for a while, now we’re realizing and starting to look at developing programs to address the middle school and high school teachers as well.
Mr. Minister, you indicated that you need more students.
Do you have a career development program or do you have an awareness program in your department?
Why aren’t students coming forward then wanting to become a teacher?
I thought there were young people who wanted to develop their own career, and teaching would be one of the areas of programs that they should be attracted to.
So what seems to be the problem now?
How good is your career development program, in your own mind?
Just a reminder, I have been pressured from the regular members as well as the other side of the House to try and be brief and precise to the point when you’re asking questions or giving responses.
In my mind, I think we’re doing what we can with the resources that we have.
Whenever there are career development shows going on in different communities, we’re always trying to encourage students to enter into the teaching profession.
I want to ask how this is increasing in Nunavut. How are the numbers of graduates increasing in terms of a percentage?
Secondly, I would like to know the numbers of students who drop out. I would like to hear about this matter.
Hon. Hunter Tootoo: Sorry but just to clarify, is it graduates from high school or from the NTEP program?
Ms. Ugyuk (interpretation): I’m sorry, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) What are Nunavut’s current rates for graduation and dropouts?
Hon. Hunter Tootoo: I missed half of that again.
Sorry, Mr. Chairman, it was switching back and forth, so I only caught part of the question.
Sorry, Jeannie.
Ms. Ugyuk: Very slowly.
What are Nunavut’s current rates for high school graduation and dropouts?
I know that’s something that we have seen increase over the years. We have seen an increase between 2000 and 2010 of roughly 50 percent in the number of graduates.
The graduation rate, I believe, for 2009-2010 is about 37 percent and the three-year average from 2007 to 2010 for the drop-out rate is about 50 percent.
Ms. Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The high school in Gjoa Haven is set for minor repairs and renovations this year.
The DEA of Gjoa Haven would like to know when that will be done. The second question would be the DEA also has students going to high school from the primary level. Some of them have disabilities and their concern is that the disability access needs to be looked at, at the high school in Gjoa Haven.
As the member is aware, the high school in Gjoa Haven is scheduled for renovations in the 2012-13 fiscal year, but in the interim, the department has allocated $1.5 million to address the current health and safety issues to ensure that the school is safe for occupancy until things are safe and until the renovations take place.
It’s my understanding that there was an indoor air quality assessment that was supposed to happen last month.
Once all of that information is put together, our capital people and other design people will be working with Community and Government Services to develop a scope of work to address those issues.
The DEA would like to know when the work is going to be done on the safety issue.
Is it this coming spring when the school is out or during the school calendar year?
That’s what they would like to know.
I would assume it would be depending on what comes out of the assessment and the development of the scope of work that needs to be done. There may be some stuff that could be done immediately upon determining that and there may be some stuff that may have to wait until over the summer, depending on what’s done.
Until all of those different evaluations are analyzed and looked at and the scope of work is developed, it would be a little tough to determine exactly what’s going to start when.
Also, the DEA would like to know about elementary school students. Some of the students will be going to high school and there are some students with physical disabilities. The high school is going to be inaccessible for the students who are disabled.
I think that needs to be looked at right away.
I would assume that if those access issues are identified as part of the health and safety evaluation that’s going to be done there, they will be addressed accordingly.
I have another question that I would like to ask. The elders who are teaching life skills are starting to be hired or at least that is the expectation.
For elders already on a pension and who will be hired as instructors and receive a salary, will their pension be reduced accordingly?
Has the department considered if this will impact elders’ pensions since they will be on salary?
However, in the Northwest Territories, they’re starting to find out that the pensions of the elders are being reduced because they are on salary.
That’s the first I have heard, but it’s something I’ll commit to following up. I don’t know if we would have that answer right now.
I know that’s something that has been looked at, but I’ll commit to getting back to the member. As I said, it’s the first time that I have heard that that could be an issue for elders. So I’ll take a look and see how it has been addressed and make sure I notify the member.
I wanted to go to G-14 under K-12 School Operations for the summary of grants and contributions, where it has the district education authority contribution as being $14,062,000.
I’m assuming that’s the money that’s divided up between every school and every DEA across the territory.
If that’s the case, I’m wondering: how do you determine how much each district education authority in the community receives?
Is it on a per capita basis or is it need driven?
It’s my understanding that it’s based on enrolment, so it’s basically a formula-driven process that identifies how much the DEAs are eligible to receive.
For the French school here in Iqaluit, how many students are enrolled in that school?
Hon. Hunter Tootoo: We don’t have that number with us right now, Mr. Chairman, but I’m sure we will have it before too long.
So again on G-14, for the $231,000 that the school receives, is that on a per capita basis as well?
The École des Trois Soleils is funded a little bit differently because we provide a certain amount of funding and a lot of the funding also comes from Heritage Canada, so there are some requirements tied in with Heritage Canada and obligations for us to fund a certain level. That’s my understanding.
I’m assuming too that the PYs for those positions are under the general compensations and benefits for all of the schools.
Hon. Hunter Tootoo: Thank you.
For the figure of 14:1 student-instructor ratio, the school would fall under the same requirement as well of having 14:1.
The questions are just more out of curiosity and since we have ministers on that side for Iqaluit, the question couldn’t actually be asked. So just to see how their school works and how it works, I figured I would ask those questions.
Going back to page G-8 under compensation and benefits, it is $117,198,000. In your opening comments, you had made the statement that $7.4 million was going to compensation and benefits to provide better services in the school.
If you look at the dollar figure from 2010-11, which was $103,248,000, there’s still about $6 million that’s unaccounted for.
Are there more PYs being added to it to come up to $117,000, or what accounts for that $6 million?
On that $7.4 million, I also indicated that a big chunk of that is including the casual wages as well as additional staff requirements to bring our student-educator ratio to 14:1.
In regard to some of the questions that were being asked about the attendance policy and the new Education Act, I had a specific question. It’s my understanding that if someone is 18 years of age and under and not in school but if they’re employed and working, the employer could actually be fined a fee, unless they’re under some type of individual education plan like the minister had talked about, where individuals receive special credits or a special benefit from working at the same time as learning and mentoring.
There needs to be like a learning plan set up with the employer for that individual.
So people don’t get confused, it’s only during school hours, not in the evenings, so it doesn’t affect the people who work in the evening.
I guess that brings me to my next question in terms of supporting Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. I know a lot of people and a lot of young people do go out on the land. One of the big successes that we have in Arctic Bay and it sort of ties in with Pond Inlet, Igloolik, Hall Beach, Clyde River, and Repulse Bay is programs such as the Nunavut Quest, where sometimes parents will pull their students out of school for a month and they’re out on the land and they’re learning land skills.
Will there be a requirement to have an individual education program set up for them so that they can actually get credits and quantify that learning that’s going on in a traditional way?
In cases like that, I think it’s an acknowledgement that they’re out there learning and they can get an excused absence if they come in and request that.
And then the second part of my question: is there a way of actually receiving CTS credits or some type of credit towards their grade12 graduation certificate?
My understanding is that they can if it’s set up through like a special project.
My final question on this topic would be, as mentioned, it is set and agreed that there would be a fine for the employer if they didn’t provide a learning plan during working hours for the individual under 18.
Will the same policies be in place for individuals who are pulled out of school who are under 18 who go out and participate on land trips like this? Will there be fines levied if an individual education plan is not provided for that person?
Hon. Hunter Tootoo: My understanding is no.
I don’t have anymore… .
I almost forgot to ask this question.
The elementary school in Gjoa Haven has issues with their temperature control panel.
It gets too cold in some areas and too warm in other areas of the building.
I believe that the old schools in other communities are in similar situations with antiquated heating systems.
I imagine that they are already looking into this matter.
I can check with my officials to see if that has been reported and what has been done and get back to the member.
Chairman: Mr. Elliott, I thought you were down to your last question.
No, actually I said it’s my last question on this line of questioning having to do with the attendance policy, but this is another topic and area. I just wanted to help Mr. Tootoo shift his focus from attendance and policy to other areas, but I’m sorry for the confusion.
On G-14 again under the summary of grants and contributions, there’s $1.6 million for district education authorities ECE.
I was wondering if you could explain what that is for.
I indicated earlier that there was funding available to the district education authorities to develop early childhood education programs to promote Inuit language and culture. That’s what that funding is for.
This is my final comment and I’m hoping to get a commitment from the minister. Hopefully I can explain it properly because I don’t know if I came across the other day.
In terms of the breakfast program and again going back to when the Minister of Health was before us, $500,000 is being put for the breakfast program and tied in with providing a nutritious meal for people who are at most need and fits in with the Tamapta Mandate.
Where I get confused is I wouldn’t want… . Again, I think that all MLAs are the same. They wouldn’t want their community to be penalized because of the initiative and good intentions of their community members.
So for example, the community of Resolute Bay has a breakfast program, Arctic Bay has one as well and so does Grise Fiord, but the bulk of the communities’ Brighter Futures money is used to purchase stuff, food, apples, oranges, for that program and that means that they don’t have any other Brighter Futures money for any other programs that are available, which could run to benefit youth and young people in the community.
So now if there’s new money allocated for that, then what’s going to happen is… . In my view, I should be telling them not to apply for the Brighter Futures money for the breakfast program under that and apply for the $500,000 for the breakfast program so that they can free up that money to run other needed programs in the community.
As we’re all aware, there’s only so many dollars to go around. So maybe the commitment I would like you to do is to write a letter to the DEAs that would… . Like you said, each community does it differently in terms of monitoring it and applying for funds.
So my communities don’t have to write two proposals to access the money, whether it’s through the breakfast program that the minister is rolling out with Health and Social Services or the Brighter Futures money. Again, there’s a whole other level of proposal writing and reporting back.
Again, we’ve got volunteers most of the time here doing this work, so I don’t want to overburden them and have them with troubles. So if you could commit to writing a letter explaining to them the two programs and how to access the funding.
I don’t know if it would be appropriate for the Department of Education to write a letter to district education authorities outlining other organizations’ or departments’ programs, but I would commit to passing it onto my colleague from Health and Social Services.
When they’re rolling out their program, it might be a good idea, if there is a group applying for the Brighter Futures program, to ask them if the format in which their application is done for one would be sent to both or maybe look at applying for both.
That’s not a Department of Education program, so I don’t have any of the details on that, but I would just ask my colleague from Health to make sure that they look at that and that they do it in that manner when they’re rolling out their program and providing information to the communities.
I have no more names. Education. Branch Summary.
Total. Operations and Maintenance. $141,832,000.
Chairman: Next page.
Branch Summary. Education. Adult Learning and Post Secondary Services.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $10,803,000.
I’ll try to be concise, short, and to the point.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the minister, the Hon. Minister for Education. The amount of funding student financial assistance grants in 2011-12 has been significantly increased since 2010-11. What specifically accounts for this increase?
I think that’s pretty close to half a million dollar increase.
I think this is an indication where our costs going up are a good thing.
It’s just a result of more students apply for Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students.
As a result of more students applying and getting accepted into post-secondary institutions, the grants going out to them are increasing, as well as the travel costs related to the additional growth in students attending post-secondary education, which is a good thing.
Speaking of post-secondary education, your department continues to offer the Special Professions Program Fund to support students entering into post-secondary professional programs in a southern institution.
How many students are currently supported through this program and what professions are they studying?
I understand that there are two individuals under this program and the only one I know offhand is the veterinarian training. I’ll find out what the other one is taking and let the member know.
Mr. Tapardjuk, I would like say that if you wish to speak on a certain page, I would appreciate it if you could raise your hand to identify yourself so that we can put you on the list.
I apologize for not raising my hand.
In the business plan under (interpretation ends) Adult Programs and Services, (interpretation) it states that it will be decreased in 2011-12.
What is the reason for the decrease in the (interpretation ends) Adult Programs and Services?
I don’t want to say the wrong thing, but I would like to ask the member to clarify exactly where and an amount, and then I’ll be able to respond accordingly.
Mr. Tapardjuk (interpretation): It is on page 113 of the business plan.
It looks as if it has been decreased by a fairly large amount from 2010. If you look at the (interpretation ends) Adult Programs and Services Division, (interpretation) it seems the funding for the whole division has been decreased.
Is that correct? I would like to get that clarified because all of the other budget items seem to have been increased with this one exception regarding the entire operations.
I would like to understand why this division has been decreased, Mr. Chairman.