N.W.T. education minister announces sweeping reviews, investigations of Dehcho education bodies

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 20, 2025 8:11 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

The N.W.T. authorities has launched a bid of investigations into the Dehcho Divisional Education Council (DDEC), arsenic good arsenic each District Education Authorities (DEAs) successful the Dehcho region, pursuing what it describes arsenic "serious concerns" from parents, educators and assemblage members.

In a quality merchandise precocious Friday afternoon, Education Minister Caitlin Cleveland wrote that she is appointing an autarkic researcher to reappraisal those acquisition bodies — 1 of respective measures her section is taking to woody with concerns it has heard recently.

"While I admit determination is an urgent request for enactment successful these areas, preliminary findings suggest the worth of a broader examination," she wrote.

She said the review, which volition commencement adjacent month, would look astatine however the acquisition bodies are operating and being governed, and whether elected officials and administrative unit are really doing their jobs. The reappraisal is expected to wrapper up by the extremity of August.

Cleveland said findings from the reappraisal would beryllium shared successful the adjacent schoolhouse year.

The authorities has besides launched a fiscal reappraisal of the DDEC and DEAs, and the Finance section is moving a quality resources probe "related to unit matters," Cleveland stated.

Cleveland described a wide scope of concerns from assemblage members, from governance to finances to workplace civilization and beyond.

"I recognize galore residents privation to spot action, and I stock that consciousness of urgency," Cleveland wrote. "I besides admit that for immoderate families—particularly Indigenous families inactive surviving with the intergenerational impacts of residential schools— these situations tin beryllium particularly difficult. That's wherefore this enactment indispensable beryllium carried retired with care, fairness, and respect."

The DDEC is headquartered successful Fort Simpson and is guided by trustees from that assemblage arsenic good arsenic from Kakisa, Jean Marie River, Sambaa K'e, Fort Liard, Nahanni Butte, Wrigley and Fort Providence.