Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 26/99) - One of the new kids on the ministerial block was put to the test last week over the state of the North's education system.

In the days following the release of the territory's 1999-2000 budget and the Minister's Forum on Education Final Report last Monday, MLAs directed dozens of statements and questions at Education Minister Michael Miltenberger.

Subjects ranged from the budget's education allocation, the $350,000 education report, teachers' salaries, teacher shortages, fund-raising efforts, class sizes, vocational training, community grade extensions, residential schools and employing special- needs assistants.

Monday's budget revealed that Miltenberger's Department of Education, Culture and Employment had been allocated the largest portion, at 23.16 per cent of $743 million. A $1.2-million allocation to education will go to maintain the current teacher-pupil funding ratio of 1:18 in the schools, and funding for two training programs has been extended. But many MLAs said these measures simply weren't enough.

"The government pays lip service to education as a high priority of our agenda," said Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen. "To what lengths as a government are we prepared to go to back up this claim?"

Yellowknife Centre MLA Jakes Ootes said he was "astounded" by the $350,000 cost of the Minister's Forum report.

"Like all consultations, we go out there and do these consultations," he said, "But we cannot seem to deliver any results because we do not have any money."

Miltenberger defended the report's cost, arguing, "It is probably dollar for dollar, in my opinion, the best strategic plan investment made by the 13th Assembly."

Indeed, NWT Teachers' Association president Pat Thomas praised the report Thursday, but, like Ootes, slammed the lack of funding.

In response to the questioning and indignation, Miltenberger, who had taken over as education minister just last month, stressed the department was examining what has been described as a looming crisis.

He said ongoing negotiations for a collective agreement with the teachers' association will raise the issues of salaries and benefits -- as well as other factors key to attracting and retaining educators.

The minister said on several occasions he was open to members' suggestions, has already met with community administrators and would determine which of the Minister's Forum recommendations might be implemented at little or no cost.

"As the saying goes -- the hope springs eternal in the human breast," he said at one point. "I think we always have to be optimistic, in spite of what we see as the lack of revenue to proceed on these issues."