Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Education is an issue of great importance to all the people of the Northwest Territories. Certainly, this Legislative Assembly has stated, on many occasions, that the goal of improving our education system and getting more of our young people through the system with a good education is one of our top priorities.
Mr. Speaker, I am a strong proponent of this goal. I believe that only by increasing the education level of our people and providing people with job skills needed in today's world can we begin to ease some of the severe economic and social problems that presently exist in the Northwest Territories.
My statement today concerns the current policy of this government to put grade extensions in most communities across the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot support this policy at this time. While, on the surface, it seems to have many benefits, I believe it ignores some of the more basic problems with the current system. In my opinion, the extension of grades simply adds to an already flawed education system that presently exists in many of our smaller communities.
By following a policy of extending classes into smaller communities, we are stretching our already limited resources too thin. I am concerned that we simply cannot maintain a consistent quality of education for all of our students. For example, can we provide high school students in Coppermine with the same level of facilities and the same range of course selection that some students already have? I doubt it.
It is my belief that we should be focusing all of our money and resources on kindergarten to Grade 9 and improving the school system that is already in place in many of our communities. In addition, we should have regional high schools that can provide our students with the type of facilities and services that we have access to in the highest quality of education. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause