Yellowknife (Jun 28/06) - Though adults may have problems finding English second language classes, children in Yellowknife have been very well taken care of due to efforts of such schools as Weledeh elementary school.

According to principal Merril Dean, the school has run the ESL program for four years and the students have caught on very quickly.

Seventy students have gone through the program.

"We have three different groups that meet three times a week," Dean says.

The school began the ESL program when international workers began arriving to work at the diamond plants. Though there were large numbers coming in four years ago, numbers of children are now stable, Dean said.

"From what I've heard it's very successful," says Charles Dent, Minister of Education.

"I've heard how the kids have really stepped up as a result of the program."

Dent also says that there is an increase in funding for support services this coming year, which will go towards funding for ESL services within the public and Catholic school systems in Yellowknife.

"We have a $100,000 in the support budget," Dent says. "ESL services fall under that - so a portion will go towards that."