The Beaufort Delta Divisional Education Council in the Northwest Territories is celebrating historically high scores on a test designed to measure students’ literacy and math skills.

Devin Roberts, the council’s education minister, said COVID-19 has made the school year challenging, but the “Canadian Achievement Test (CAT) results are absolute proof that, despite all the challenges, a lot of great learning has been achieved.”

Since 2013, students in grades 4 to 9 have taken the tests administered by the Canadian Test Centre.

“Throughout our CAT history, we’ve seen successes where individual students have performed well,” Roberts said. “But this is the first year we’ve really had a lot of success with the CATs.”

All grade levels are approaching the state average, he said, and eighth-grade students in particular are outperforming the state average in reading, vocabulary, spelling and math.

Year 5 students achieved the national average in reading (82%) and spelling (78%), while Year 9 students achieved the national average in spelling (77%).

Roberts said students should be proud of the results.

“It’s their hard work, their achievement. It shows that they are incredibly resilient. We have known for a long time that Beaufort Delta students are capable of anything, and this is just one example.”

Roberts praises teachers for their hard work in supporting students. He also said the Northern Distance Learning program – which allows students in remote communities to take more academic courses from home – is helping young people achieve their dreams.

“It is absolutely positive and absolutely possible,” he said.

Roberts said there will be a celebration at all schools in the fall to recognize student achievements.