Parents across the Northwest Territories, particularly in small communities, have expressed concerns about the standards of education their children receive. In light of those concerns, I am pleased to announce that boards of education will introduce a new math curriculum framework during the next school year.
Once it's in place, parents can be assured that the math lessons being taught to their sons and daughters will be the same as they are in the western provinces and Yukon.
Mr. Speaker, the new framework will help students develop positive attitudes about math and learn skills they need to take them into the 21st century. It emphasizes problem solving, how to communicate effectively about math, and how to connect mathematical ideas to other school subjects and to everyday experiences.
About 150 key resources have been selected to help educators teach the concepts in the framework. Because the western provinces and northern territories make up a sizeable market, publishers and suppliers can now develop learning resources specific to western and northern needs.
The math framework is one of the first joint projects under the Western Canadian protocol, signed in December of 1993. Participating in the Western consortium allows us to share information, pool expertise and use our resources more effectively. The common framework ensures that students can move and not have to worry about catching up with a different math program in their new school. Developing frameworks with other jurisdictions provides us with further assurances that the quality of NWT curricula is as good as anywhere else. Mahsi cho.