Thank you for that.
I do want to say that I stepped down after my second term. I did not run again, so I wasn't beat. That's always a good thing as a politician, for everyone in this room.
That being said, in the teacher recruitment and retention piece, there are some innovative things being done. One example is Clearwater River Dene Nation in La Loche, which has a Dene TEP program. This is an educational, four-year university program, partnering with First Nations University of Canada through the U of R, and funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education. This is providing an opportunity for teachers to be trained in their local communities, and working with school divisions and first nations authorities to support them in practicum spaces. It ensures that those teachers are engaged in the communities they're from.
The first rendition of DTEP was created in 2006 after the horrific school shooting in La Loche. Of the students who went through that program, 80% to 90% of them are still engaged in northern Saskatchewan teaching occupations. I say 80% to 90% because, when you become a specialized teacher, you're in high demand. We've had several teachers go as far as British Columbia. Other provinces also hired them. Again, this is a good thing.
The school division is also working with the University of Saskatchewan to have a program in Cumberland House.
What we're finding is that, when you have these teachers in the community, it's not only building human capacity in that community, but it's also filling that void where teachers may not normally come to those communities to start off their careers. We're seeing a pinch across the country in terms of teachers filling vacancies across jurisdictions, including circumpolar north regions. This is a prime example of what's working.
Absolutely, more significant investment could be done in this area, but for what's being invested, it's been an awesome thing to see.