Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we are here today to discuss Bill 1, an Act to Amend the Education Act. Bill 1 reduces the pupil-teacher ratio from its current level of about 18 to one to a level of 16 to one. The reduction would occur over the next four years. It also increases the funding for student support services. At the present time, student support services are funded at a level of eight percent of the overall funding provided for schools. Over the next four years, should this legislation receive approval, funding will be increased to 15 percent of the school's budget.
This bill meets the conditions described in the Memorandum of Agreement between the Executive Council of the Northwest Territories and the NWTTA, which was signed on January 22 of this year. The bill also meets the objectives of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's strategic plan. The plan was updated in December, 1999, following consultations with students, teachers, education councils and many others.
During this review, we heard that we have made some excellent progress in our education system, but there is much more that must be done if our children are going to meet the challenges that lie ahead. The need to increase investment in selected areas of the education program was identified as a key priority.
Mr. Chairman, these changes represent an investment that will strengthen our education system. Effective expenditure of these additional monies will occur following discussions with representatives of divisional education councils, education authorities and educational administrators, and the approval of the departmental main estimates by this Assembly.
The legislation being considered today is important to the work of this Assembly. Passage of BilI 1 at this early point in our mandate will establish a firm basis for action and would demonstrate our collective commitment to strengthening the future of our children. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.