MLAs question Aurora College's plans to close community learning centres, boost online learning

Nadeer Hashmi · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 06, 2025 9:31 PM EST | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Aurora College's plans to adjacent 19 assemblage learning centres crossed the N.W.T. came nether fire on Thursday, arsenic assemblage officials appeared earlier a lasting committee of MLAs. 

In a briefing earlier the lasting committee connected accountability and oversight, representatives of the assemblage outlined their program to displacement toward much online learning, arsenic a mode to "move into the 21st century."

Several MLAs, however, are acrophobic astir the interaction of closing assemblage learning centres connected smaller communities successful the Northwest Territories.

Aurora College president Angela James told the committee connected Thursday that the modulation toward much online learning has already shown encouraging results.

"Since 2021, astir 63 graduates person completed their diplomas online," James said.

In January, Aurora College announced plans to shutter its 19 assemblage learning centres crossed the N.W.T., saying the existent exemplary has go "expensive, outdated, and ineffective," arsenic lone 22 full-time students were enrolled.

Mackenzie Delta MLA George Nerysoo said the quality came arsenic a daze to his community. He says galore precocious schoolhouse students are not acceptable to prosecute acquisition extracurricular their assemblage and conflict with basal math, raising concerns astir however they'll negociate online learning.

"You are taking different enactment distant from these individuals, having them spell online and effort to bash different signifier of education," Nerysoo said.

Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh MLA Richard Edjericon echoed those concerns, saying students successful smaller communities often postgraduate 2 oregon 3 grades behind, which is concerning. Edjericon says these students trust connected the centres to upgrade for assemblage and assemblage admission.

"Shutting [the centres] down doesn't help... not everybody's got computers, not everybody's got net successful tiny communities," Edjericon said.

'The satellite is going digital'

Joseph Handley, seat of Aurora College's committee of directors, says students volition person to accommodate and get comfy with online learning.

"The satellite is going digital. I deliberation we person to admit that and hole our radical to beryllium capable to succeed," Handley said.

He added that students volition person entree to tech enactment systems to assistance them adjust.

Great Slave MLA Kate Reid says online programs person limitations, which became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reid besides questioned wherefore the assemblage made the determination abruptly, and without nationalist consultation.

Handley said that the assemblage held nationalist consultations connected strategical readying but saw precise mediocre attendance.

The assemblage says closing the centres volition prevention implicit $8 million, and it plans to put much than $2 cardinal successful the caller online learning model.

College president Angela James says moving online would let the upgrading programme to scope 33 communities, alternatively than conscionable the 19 centres.

James says the program includes providing online enactment with entree to computers, software, IT support, and a squad of counsellors for coaching and regular check-ins.

Toward the extremity of the briefing, Handley said helium didn't deliberation the changes would "disadvantage the tiny communities."

"I deliberation we tin enactment with them some successful instrumentality and successful exertion and consultation," helium said.

'Out of touch'

Speaking successful the Legislative Assembly aboriginal connected Thursday, Yellowknife MLA Shauna Morgan criticized the college's displacement to online learning.

"Saying that the aboriginal of learning is online is wholly retired of touch," she said.

She questioned wherefore the assemblage unopen down machine literacy classes astatine the Literacy Outreach Centre successful Yellowknife, if online learning is the focus.

Morgan said that erstwhile assemblage learning centres were archetypal established successful the 1960s and '70s, they were much than conscionable upgrading centres, they were rooted successful assemblage development.

"That means providing opportunities for each assemblage members to larn and summation skills that are important to them and beryllium empowered successful their lives and successful their self-governance," Morgan said.

Over time, she said, arsenic the centres came nether Aurora College, the absorption narrowed to upgrading and precocious schoolhouse credits, which led to declining attendance.

But Morgan said different centres and organizations person revitalized their approach, offering palmy hands-on programs — something she says CLCs should beryllium doing.

"A centre successful Ndilǫ and Dettah is offering hands-on programs to implicit 100 students successful trades and assorted certifications," she said.

"It's tone-deaf to what is going connected present astatine the assemblage level, the kinds of hands-on learning communities person been asking for. Frankly, it reveals a deficiency of imaginativeness and vision."