The Honourable R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) met virtually with education leaders on October 4.
The Minister shared information with leaders about proposed updates to legislation, an upcoming territorial educators conference, plans to convene a Youth Advisory Committee on Education, and his priorities for the final year of the 19th Legislative Assembly.
Health and Social Services (HSS) Minister Julie Green was also in attendance at the meeting and alongside Minister Simpson, provided an update on the Child and Youth Care Counsellor (CYCC) program in schools this year. Education leaders heard about ECE and HSS’s next steps toward evaluating the CYCC program in order to adjust and make improvements.
Minister Simpson updated education leaders on continued work to develop a legislative proposal for technical amendments to the Education Act; make amendments to the Child Day Care Act and Official Languages Act; and bring into force new legislation for post-secondary education that establishes a framework for recognizing post-secondary institutions in the Northwest Territories (NWT) for the first time. He also discussed the renewed plans for a Youth Advisory Committee on Education, which has been stalled due to COVID-19. This will be an innovative and effective way to hear directly from youth on issues that matter to them.
ECE updated leaders on progress toward renewing the NWT Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 (JK-12) curriculum and adapting the British Columbia curriculum to the territory’s context. Educators and senior leaders from BC’s Ministry of Education will be present at the three-day NWT Territorial Educators’ Conference and Women’s Symposium this week to discuss their experiences with curriculum renewal.
Finally, parties discussed housing challenges for educators and its impact on teacher hiring. ECE is committed to collecting information regarding this situation in order to support education bodies.
ECE and education leaders are scheduled to meet in-person on January 25, 2023.
