Since the closure of Aurora College’s Community Learning Centres earlier this year, representatives from the ministry of Education are looking at what to do with the learning spaces and how to better serve its public stakeholders.
The GNWT engaged with Indigenous and local community governments and is looking at ways to hear more from learners and stakeholders, said Agata Gutkowska, a representative from the ministry.
Leadership from the department plan to engage with learners and stakeholders in a “strategic and targeted” way to ensure feedback comes directly from them, Gutkowska told True North FM.
Since the closure of Aurora College’s Community Learning Centres earlier in 2025, the GNWT engaged with Indigenous and local community governments through “one-on-one conversations” to discuss the future use of the former community learning centre facilities, said Gutkowksa.
“As part of the GNWT’s plan to review ways to streamline the Adult Literacy and Basic Education program to better meet learners’ needs, we will engage with learners and stakeholders,” continued Gutkowksa.
In this way, the department is aiming for “local voices” to “shape future use” of the learning spaces in ways that will meet the needs of communities across the N.W.T.
The ministry also has plans to continue to evaluate program delivery using a Post-Secondary Education Accountability Framework. The framework uses multiple criteria, to grade service delivery for students. The criteria includes things like counts of students enrolled, surveys of student feedback and outcomes such as program completion, job readiness and professional development.
“The delivery of employment readiness training and literacy outreach initiatives delivered by partner organizations will also involve seeking feedback from program participants to ensure initiatives meet the needs of students and residents,” said Gutkowska.
Last month, representatives from the GNWT announced what they called a “critical path” forward, outlining the next steps towards quality education and employment programs.
The path aims to achieve “immediate” and “medium term” actions to help residents across the territory access adult learning and training opportunities, said Gutkowska.
The steps outlined include establishing a “modernized” adult literacy and basic education overseen by Aurora College, employment readiness training in communities, facility engagement on the future plans for Community Learning Centre buildings, literacy outreach, reassessing, monitoring and evaluating adult literacy and basic education and alternative education programming.
Minister Caitlin Cleveland, who is the minister of Education, Culture and Employment emphasized that the path is an “interim solution” as the ministry works collaboratively with community stakeholders.
“Community-based pathways to education and employment are incredibly important. This path lays out the steps we’re taking to respond to the closure of the Community Learning Centres to ensure Northerners have access to quality education and employment programs from their home communities. It’s important to highlight that this is an interim solution while we work directly with communities to design solutions that address gaps and are autonomous with the learning goals of community members,” said Minister Cleveland.
“Access to community-based learning is essential—not just for individual success, but for the health and strength of our communities, and determining what that looks like requires a collaborative approach,” added the minister.
