Kam Lake incumbent Kieron Testart says the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 education system should undergo a foundational review to fight chronic absenteeism and low test scores.
SA国际影视传媒淭hat way we can analyze what legislative changes we need,SA国际影视传媒� he said at an all candidatesSA国际影视传媒� forum hosted by the YK1 school board at St. Patrick High School on Sept. 24.
Testart said the study would be similar in scope to the Aurora College Foundational Review, which was released last year by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and recommends transforming the post-secondary institution into a polytechnic university.
He said the review should involve an audit of the entire education system from junior kindergarten to Grade 12.
SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a whole lot of stuff we need to do and itSA国际影视传媒檚 a complicated problem,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
The incumbent MLA was responding to a question regarding figures that show school attendance is lagging in small communities across the territory.
Data from the education department show that while school attendance numbers are good in the capital, at 89 per cent, average attendance drops to 79 per cent in the regions, while schools in smaller communities only reach 75 per cent.
And there are some indications that attendance figures are still dropping.
Testart applauded a number of recent initiatives, including the junior kindergarten program but said they do not go far enough.
SA国际影视传媒淭hose were almost band-aid solutions for the chronic lack of resources,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Caitlin Cleveland, a businesswoman who is also running in Kam Lake, advocated for the creation of a program navigator position to connect families and government services.
SA国际影视传媒淥ur teachers are burnt out,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 believe education reform needs to start with a systemic reform of our whole government.SA国际影视传媒�
Former MLA and Kam Lake contender Robert Hawkins attributed chronic absenteeism in the communities to the colonial legacy of residential schools.
SA国际影视传媒淚 experienced (this) first-hand working as a substitute,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 can tell you, itSA国际影视传媒檚 a struggle.SA国际影视传媒�
Rommel Silverio, another Kam Lake candidate, blamed the problem on high teacher turnover rates and said he would push for SA国际影视传媒渁 good recruitment (and) retention program.SA国际影视传媒�
Only Cherish Winsor, another Kam Lake candidate and a mother of five, seemed to have good things to say about the territory's education system.
SA国际影视传媒淢y family moved here from Newfoundland,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淥ne of the obvious differences was the improvement of their education. Our teachers and support staff are all doing an amazing job.SA国际影视传媒�
To improve education in the territory's smaller communities, Winsor suggested distance learning could fill in the gaps for some rural students.
