Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I have some good news today about the growing number of high school graduates in the Northwest Territories. To date, this year we have graduated more high school students than ever before, a total of 325. We expect more before the end of the calendar year. This is an increase of nearly ten percent over the last year and nearly 100 percent since 1990 when Education, Culture and Employment put the grade extension policy in place.
Mr. Speaker, this policy is intended to improve student participation and success. I am pleased to say today that it has been effective. In 1990, only 60 percent of students had access to a high school education in their home community. That number has increased to 90 percent today. Students no longer have to leave the support of their families and communities to pursue secondary education. NWT participation rates in high school have also grown tremendously and today compare to the Canadian average. In 1990, about 45 percent of high school age northerners were enroled in school. Today, that number is close to 85 percent. By the year 2010, we expect that number to increase to 90 percent.
Many of our graduates are people who previously dropped out of school but returned when high school became available in their community. In most of Canada, the median age of high school graduates is 17 or 18; in the NWT as a whole, the median age is 19. In Nunavut, the median age of high school graduates is 20. Now that students can complete high school in their home communities, we find that students in their 30s, 40s and even 50s are returning to school and graduating. These students are to be commended for their efforts and success.
We know there is still a lot of room for improvement. Our graduation rate, even with recent increases, remains the lowest in Canada. However, I am confident that the number of high school participants and graduates will keep growing if we continue to improve access to and the quality of high school programs. We need to celebrate improvement and realize that as more people access and complete a secondary education the health and well-being of our northern society improves. A high school education opens up opportunities for jobs, for further education, for self-sufficiency.
I ask that we all acknowledge the commitment and support provided to our students by communities, families and educators across the Northwest Territories. I know I represent the Members of this House in wishing all the students in the NWT every success in this academic year.
--Applause