Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak to the proposed amendments to the Education Act. Mr. Speaker, the proposed amendments to the Act address two major issues that are crucial to improving education in the Northwest Territories; pupil/teacher ratio and student support services.

In terms of pupil/teacher ratio and student support services, the amendments propose to reduce the pupil/teacher ratio over a period of four years. Lowering the pupil/teacher ratio will affect class size. The research in this area is overwhelming. Small classes improve children's learning conditions. In smaller classes, teachers are able to spend more time with individual children and are better able to meet their needs. It just makes sense, Mr. Speaker. The individual help children receive decreases as the number of students in the classroom increases. In their research, they conclude average pupil achievement increases as class size decreases.

In terms of student support services, our classrooms consist of students with varied backgrounds, abilities and needs. Today our students are faced with many challenges. They need support services more than ever. The amendments propose to increase funding to student support services from 8.2 percent of total schools funding to 15 percent beginning the next school year. Mr. Speaker, our students need this support.

A Yellowknife educator says;

"while the focus in education over the past 10 to 15 years has been to integrate special needs students and towards inclusionary education, I do not feel money and resources have accompanied this goal, rather regular classroom teachers have been asked and expected to meet the diversity and intensity of needs."

This is a systematic problem that needs to be addressed and this is echoed throughout the Northwest Territories. The proposed amendments to the Education Act will affect every student in school in the Northwest Territories. These amendments are supported by all the partners in education; teachers, parents, school trustees and divisional educational councils and educational authority members. More teachers and more student support forces cannot help but have a positive effect on our educational system.

Mr. Speaker, our educational system must focus on promoting the success of all children as learners and on developing the talents and potential of each child. To do this, we ask that legislators ensure the funding is in place to provide quality education and equal opportunity to all children in the Northwest Territories. The proposed amendments to the Education Act are a good beginning to doing this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.