N.W.T. students in small communities lagging behind

Test results released this week show about 60 per cent of N.W.T. Grade 9 students are meeting acceptable standards in math and English.

The overall numbers of students meeting acceptable standards in the tests have varied little over the last five years.

The lowest numbers are found in the territory’s smaller communities.

Alberta Achievement Testing results from 2011-2012 show four out of five Grade 9 students in smaller communities are functioning below their grade level in math and 75 per cent are below grade level in English.

The territorial government decided long ago to extend schooling in smaller communities to Grade 12, so students don’t have to move from home to complete high school.

Jake Basil got all of his schooling up to Grade 11 in Lutselk'e, then did Grade 12 in Yellowknife.

The only thing he regrets is not moving sooner.

"It made a big difference," he said. "I was thinking I should have gone to school there when I was a lot younger. I could have been doing something else right now, could have been a mechanic or a carpenter or something."

In an attempt to fix the problem, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is overhauling the education system.

"Education renewal or revision is a Canadian conversation that's taking place, but in particular in Alberta [is] doing extensive work on a redesign," said Rita Mueller, an assistant deputy minister with the department.

"We also need to do that so it's aligning really well."

Alberta announced earlier this year it will be phasing out the achievement tests.

The N.W.T. Department of Education allows schools to exclude some students from the tests, including those working two or more grade levels below their grade of enrolment.