Yellowknife (July 05/04) - The Commission Scolaire Francophone, which operates two schools in Yellowknife and Hay River, is hoping an upcoming operational review will result in more government funding.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has called for proposals from consultants to look at the policies and procedures of the French-language school board.

The work has yet to be awarded.

Superintendent Gerard Lavigne says the board is funded at a "really minimal level," limiting the support it can offer students and teachers.

Lavigne notes the operational review results from a brief submitted to Education Minister Charles Dent in December.

"One of the things we requested in the brief was increased funding for the Commission Scolaire," Lavigne says, adding the minister committed to examine the issue.

Currently, the commission and its two schools operate on an annual budget of $2.1 million from the GNWT and Ottawa.

The board office has two employees -- a superintendent and a secretary-treasurer. Lavigne notes there is no administrative or curriculum support, no communications person and no program support teacher to share between Ecole Allain St-Cyr in Yellowknife and Ecole Boreale in Hay River.

"We are providing a very good education to the students with the resources we have, but our position is our resources are stretched," Lavigne says.

Dent says operational reviews are regularly conducted on school boards.

"It's not something that's done because we have any concerns," he says, adding there is nothing to indicate a problem at Commission Scolaire.

Dent says it is hoped the review can be complete by early fall.

If there is a demonstrated need for more financial support, he says the department could seek supplemental special funding or reallocate money.