Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, later today, I will table a document entitled Towards Excellence: A Report on Education in the NWT.

The document presents statistical data that indicates how well students from kindergarten to grade 12 are progressing through the education system. This is the third time that such a report, often referred to by educators as the "indicators document", has been published in the Northwest Territories.

But the report I am tabling today is the first such report that deals exclusively with data from the new Northwest Territories. The information contained in this report will allow parents and the public to access tools often used by educators and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to evaluate the success of the current programs.

It provides a basis for comparison from year to year. This information gives a clear indication of the strengths of the educational system and the areas where improvement is needed. Towards Excellence reveals that there is much to be proud of in our education system.

For example, the number of students who graduate from high school in the Northwest Territories is on the rise. School participation rates are up and more than 90 percent of the students currently in the education system now have access to senior secondary schooling in their home community. The overall education level of Northwest Territories' residents has risen.

But there is work to be done in attracting aboriginal students to the teaching profession. We need more aboriginal teachers to serve as role models in their communities and to help in preserving language and culture. And we need to ensure that all students, regardless of where they live, have access to a variety of quality program offerings in their senior secondary years.

Mr. Speaker, our government is accountable to the people it serves for the programs it delivers. By presenting an accurate picture of our education system, Towards Excellence provides a framework for accountability.

The information in the report will form the basis for reflection and discussion about the school system. At the same time, it will guide the work of planning an education system that works for all of us.

Mr. Speaker, Towards Excellence is not only a snapshot of where we are, it helps us set realistic goals for our education system and for our students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.