REGINA — Education Minister Dustin Duncan said his ministry will co-operate fully with the child advocate’s investigation into abuse allegations at qualified independent schools.
Earlier it had been announced Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth Dr. Lisa Broda has launched a full investigation into services and oversight of registered independent schools in Saskatchewan.
Duncan told reporters at the legislature Tuesday that he had received the letter from the child advocate and said the Ministry of Education will fully co-operate. He also said they will be directing schools subject to the investigation to co-operate fully with her work as well.
“We will co-operate fully,” said Duncan, adding, “the ministry will be working very closely with her office to provide any information that her office requires as part of the investigation.”
Duncan also said his ministry “is not waiting” for that work by the child advocate to be completed in terms of changing the existing regulations to provide increased oversight and unannounced inspections.
He reiterated to reporters will be 10 additional visits to the two qualified independent schools Legacy Christian Academy and Regent Christian Academy that have had administrators assigned to them, and a minimum of three unannounced inspections for the remaining qualified independent schools.
As for the coming school year, Duncan said the Saskatoon City Police indicated to him that if there were concerns raised as a “part of the investigation about student safety today, not related to the past allegations but safety today, that they would have notified the Ministry of Education.”
“So, the fact that they did not notify the Ministry of Education give me comfort that students are in a safe environment, despite serious allegations and the fact that there’s a criminal investigation, in the fact that the government has taken steps to provide additional oversight. So, I’m sending two kids to school this week, including one for the first time in kindergarten, and I want to make sure that my kids are going to be safe and I want that for every single student in this province.”
At this point, Duncan said he is comfortable with the steps that have been taken so far, including the ability to put a school on probation if necessary.
"This has already resulted in one of the schools being closed,” Duncan said, referring to Grace Christian School whose certification was pulled last week when the school would not co-operate with the appointed administrator.
“We’ve taken significant action and if we have to, I’m prepared to do more,” said Duncan.
Duncan also indicated he was willing to meet with the group of former students from Legacy Christian Academy, formerly known as Christian Centre Academy in Saskatoon, who are currently part of the class action lawsuit against the school over abuse allegations.
“Yes, I will be reaching out to the students,” he said when asked by reporters. He did not have a timeline on when that would happen but indicated that would happen this fall.
Duncan told reporters he “wanted to hear first hand what their experience was, particularly ones who filed the civil suit. These are generally speaking of a historic nature and I can’t change the past, but I’d like to hear from them, hear what their experience was. Yeah, I’ll make myself available.”
But Duncan drew the line when asked if the province would rethink funding for independent schools.
“No, I don’t think so. We’re committed to giving parents a choice where to educate their children. We want to ensure there is proper oversight. Where there are public dollars, the accountability increases for that. And so, we want to ensure that we have the proper processes in place, the proper oversight, the proper tools and the regulations to take action when action is needed.”
