Inuvik (June 13/03) - The Beaufort Delta Education Council met last week in Inuvik to discuss the past school year and approved the budget for the year to come.

Beaufort Delta Education Council comptroller Dan Hemming presented the 2003-2004 budget at last week's meeting in Inuvik. - Terry Halifax/NNSL photo

Comptroller Dan Hemming announced the next school year budget with a projected operating deficit of over $650,000 for the 2003-04 school year.

The deficit for this year will be just over $350,000, largely due to unfunded programs. Hemming said the council must consider how programs like the kindergarten/Grade 1 initiative will be paid. Historically, the BDEC has paid out about $1 million to fund K/1.

Other unfunded programs paid for by BDEC are the Youth Employment and Life Skills (YELS) program, new vehicles, student assessment and staff orientations. The technology programs are also an unfunded initiative that costs BDEC pays about $300,000 annually.

"It's important our children learn computers if they are going to succeed," Hemming said.

The board voted to change a policy regarding the management surplus, which is a fund used to pay severance, utilities and other expenses covered by Education, Culture and Employment, but only through repayment. The BDEC must absorb the extra payments and be reimbursed by the department.

The management surplus was reduced from five to 2.5 per cent, which will leave about $700,000 in the account.

"It will leave us on about the lower end of where we want to be, but that's okay, because we'll have our cash working for us," Hemming said. "We'll use that money to fund our deficit."

Hemming said last year's deficit was about $450,000, this year's about $350,000. They project $650,000 for next year.

Hemming would like to see the liability taken by the government entirely, to allow the board to get maximum use of their funds.

"If there was funding for it, these items should not really be listed as a liability to us," he said. "The liability should be carried by the department."

Cuts from the budget included the kindergarten/Grade 1 initiative, which was scaled back for next year. This was the second year BDEC has funded the initiative and next year will be the final year of training for the program.

The proposed development officer position was cut as well as inclusive schooling, operations and maintenance, and the purchase of a new vehicle to replace the ten-year-old truck they have.

"It's not to say we can't revisit these things next year," he said. "We can only work on what we no right now."

The good news in the budget is the board will hire 10 new teachers next year as a result of the student/teacher ratio being adjusted.

"We'll have 135 teachers; that's the most we've ever had," Hemming said. "When you consider our enrolment hasn't increased that much, but obviously it comes at a cost and that's where the deficit comes in."