Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the internet has revolutionized our society. Even in the past few years, advances in social media, portable technology, and telecommunications have radically changed how governments operate and how citizens participate, and how we live, work, and learn.
Earlier this year, CBC reported on a story in Tuktoyaktuk, where a voice teacher from Alberta was able to teach students at Mangilaluk School using Facetime. From thousands of kilometers away, this teacher was able to deliver lessons and communicate with students, without the extreme expense and complications of flying in specialty teachers for special sessions.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment also delivers a program that incorporates new technology into our curriculum. Through the Beaufort Delta District Education Council's e-Learning Program, students are able to access classes they wouldn't normally be able to take, thanks to video conferencing and information sharing programs like Moodle, students can access the classes they need without having to leave home.
Just this past year, 11 students in the first semester and 15 students in the second semester were able to access classes unavailable in their home schools. Through distance learning, students from Ulukhaktok and Tuktoyaktuk, as well as Fort McPherson, Fort Liard, and Fort Resolution were able to broaden their school experience.
In the years to come, both high school and post-secondary education will be essential in learning and holding jobs in the NWT and beyond. We must help as many students as possible pursue their full learning potential especially in isolated communities who do not have access to curriculum as a student may have in the larger centers in the NWT.
I look forward to watching the distance learning program continue to grow, and also to the completion of the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Line, when better quality internet will improve services like this. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.