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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Roy Erasmus Sr. has resigned from government work after 12 years with the GNWT and although he said he's ready for something new, education still remains a top priority.

Roy Erasmus Sr., founder of the Aboriginal Student Achievement initiative, resigned from government work after more than a decade and says he is looking forward to making a difference closer to home. - Lyndsay Herman/NNSL photo

"I've always been interested in education and particularly for aboriginal students because there is a huge gap (in academic achievement) between aboriginal and other students," Erasmus said, a former Weledeh MLA from 1995 to 1999.

"It's not only here in the Northwest Territories, but it's across Canada, and the world, really.

He said everyone should get a quality education no matter who you are or where you come from.

"There is a big difference between the education that's available for the kids in the communities than in larger centres. That's another thing I've been trying to change."

During the past four years, Erasmus held the position of assistant deputy minister of education and culture for the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment.

One of his crowning achievements was developing the Aboriginal Student Achievement initiative. Erasmus said he'd like to see the regional meetings that were created within the initiative between the department, MLAs, aboriginal leaders, education leaders, youth, elders and community leaders continue as they generated valuable conversations.

"If you look at the statistics the government releases every year, less than half of the kids are at an acceptable level in the smaller communities," said Erasmus. "If that was happening in Yellowknife, you'd have people marching up and down the streets. But if someone marches down the street in Fort McPherson, it's not going to make much of an impact."

Erasmus hopes to contribute more time and energy to his role as councillor for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN) now that he no longer works for the GNWT. His resignation will also allow him to partake in projects that may have resulted in a conflict of interest in the past, such as serving on the YKDFN education committee.

He said he's also considering working in a consulting capacity for other organizations.

Erasmus said he'd like to address problems such as low parent involvement, inconsistent staff housing for teachers, and low funding for NWT community schools as a result of their low population.

"I've had this passion for a long time and I think I moved things along at the Department of Education, Culture and Employment so that we got momentum across the NWT, people wanting change," said Erasmus. "The MLAs are asking for change, parents are asking for change. I think the stage has been set."

While Erasmus said he won't miss the 100 or more e-mails he'd answer in a day as assistant deputy minister, he did enjoy being a part of a process that planned for the future and hopes to find a similar role outside of government.

"I'm confident changes will occur," he said. "I'm really looking forward to the future to see some of those changes. I'm looking forward to being a part of them from the other side."

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