Alfred Moses

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we mentioned, it will be up to 100 hours. It will be flexible, and it is up to the schools to decide, and the principals and the teachers working on the direction that they take.

Actually, Alberta is moving away from the standard 125hoursperfivecredit high school courses through their own high school redesign project. As Members know, we did have a meeting with Minister Eggen from Alberta to discuss those changes to the curriculum. Alberta is a shift away from the standard of 125 hours of instruction for fivecredit courses, where students who are involved in the project can now complete courses in less than 125 hours and/or take more time if it is needed. It is based on what the students need. The NWT has always been flexible in this area, part of the education renewal...

I personally have not engaged in that meeting. We did have staff meet with the Canadian Public Health Association of Canada. We invited Aboriginal Head Start staff in on that meeting to talk about the federal funding, and that wouldn't be affected. Currently, we do a joint junior kindergarten/Aboriginal Head Start program coexisting in some of our communities where they're both providing half-day services so families have that opportunity to have full daycare, quality early childhood programming for their kids.

As I said in the House yesterday, we're sending out packages to all the parents across the Northwest Territories. With the Aboriginal Head Start staff, our department has already been engaging with the staff. We made trips to Fort McPherson, Fort Providence, K’atlodeeche First Nations, and had those initial discussions and talks about implementing junior kindergarten for the 2017-18 school year.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, we do have that Skills 4 Success document that we are reaching out to organizations as well as in the high school to look at all jobs, all programs, across the Northwest Territories. We still continue to support our students throughout the NWT with our Student Financial Assistance programs at whatever institutions that they want to go to. We have career development officers, employment transition officers. We have guidance counsellors in the schools who work with students to develop and go along the career path that they choose. We continue to support...

We are still waiting on that strategic plan. At this time, we are looking at these programs to see where we are getting the best investments and the end product. I encourage all the students here, as we continue to support the students going through the program before they finish, that they work hard, study, and make sure to graduate because that was one of the factors was we weren't getting graduates coming out of the program for the big investment that we put in.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Mr. Fraser Oliver, president of the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association; Adrien Amirault, executive director for the NWT Teachers' Association; and Amanda Mallon, professional development coordinator. I want to let them know that we are very appreciative of the work that you do on behalf of our teachers across the Northwest Territories.

I also want to recognize all the students who are here today. We are listening to you and really appreciate that you have made the time and effort to come and join us.

As well, we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Education Act to change the age of access to kindergarten programs from five years of age to four years of age. The act is also amended to reduce the minimum hours of instruction required for grades 1 through 12. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I believe this is going to have a very positive impact on our teachers and our youth and people who work in the education system. There will be no changes to the diploma which NWT students currently receive.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through the Education Renewal Framework, we have a lot of interesting pilots, a lot of great things that are happening that are going to help improve student outcomes, but on the other side we want to make sure that we are taking care of our teachers. As is heard in the news, they are averaging about 52 hours of work a week. They are hardworking. They are dedicated, committed, go above and beyond to make sure that our students get the best opportunities for success in the future.

The instructional hours, I know it has been debated in the public. Those are just opinions...