Thanks, Mr. Chair. I will be supporting this amendment to the bill. If you look at the memorandum of understanding, this change in instructional hours was clearly characterized as a pilot project, which means that it is going to be evaluated at the end of it. This was not meant to be a permanent change necessarily, but the way the bill was drafted, this was going to be a permanent change in instructional hours. We had this drawn to our attention by some parents. I noticed it when I first read the bill. This is a permanent change. Where is the review of this?

I believe that this amendment to make the mandatory review is completely consistent with the pilot project nature of the change in instructional hours. The issue of evaluation reporting of the changes in instructional hours and student outcomes and teacher wellness has been a source of concern for parents and MLAs. While there is greater clarity than when we started the review of this bill, I do not feel confident or comfortable leaving such a review in the control of the Minister or his department. I am also concerned about our ability to actually measure meaningful changes in teacher wellness and student outcomes on an annual basis or even after three years, something other jurisdictions do not seem to be able to do.

Given the very poor communications from the Minister and his department around these changes, the evaluation should be done by an independent party or a standing committee of this Assembly, while recognizing that the Minister will make the final decisions at the end of the day, and I am sure he would consult with it Northwest Territories Teachers' Association and the superintendents.

I also want to speak to the scope of the review that is suggested in this amendment. The scope of the review is focused on student achievement, which we have heard is the main purpose of this portion of the bill, and teacher wellness. I think that sets out the scope of the evaluation, the review that would be carried out, perfectly clear. That would be done by an independent party, by a standing committee. I support that as well. I will be voting in support of this amendment. I believe this was a reasonable compromise that was put forward by the standing committee. I heard most of their deliberations and discussion on this, and I strongly support this. Thank you, Mr. Chair.