Shannon Barnett-Aikman is taking over from the retiring James Fulford as the NWT’s deputy minister of education, Premier RJ Simpson said on Thursday.
Barnett-Aikman is a former teacher and principal in the Sahtu who has also worked as chief executive officer of the Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Agency.
Fulford, who had been in the role for two and a half years, is retiring after more than 25 years of service to the territorial government, the GNWT stated. Barnett-Aikman’s appointment at the Department of Education, Culture and Employment took effect on Thursday.
Deputy ministers are the senior bureaucrats who lead departments and report to elected ministers.
Barnett-Aikman’s “leadership and experience will be valuable as we continue to strengthen education and early learning across the territory,” Premier Simpson was quoted as saying. The NWT’s school system is in the middle of a years-long slump in attendance rates, while graduation rates in many areas are not improving.
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Fulford “provided steady leadership and made important contributions to the public service during his time with the GNWT,” Simpson added.
