Mrs. Sarich: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. School divisions across this province are facing some significant workforce planning challenges over the next few years. A high number of teacher retirements, growing high student enrolment, and a decreasing supply of qualified teachers in specialized subject areas as well as in certain areas in the province are all leading to the need to plan for our teaching workforce. In northern Alberta these challenges are magnified 10-fold.

Earlier this year Alberta Education announced a new northern student teacher bursary to help address these challenges, Mr. Speaker. The province is working with the Northern Alberta Development Council to sponsor the bursary program, which will provide financial support for up to 55 postsecondary students who are interested in teaching in northern Alberta communities. To qualify, students must be in their last two years of teacher prepara­tion studies, and students who receive two years of bursary funding must upon graduation teach in one of Alberta's northern school jurisdictions for three years.

As many of my colleagues know, northern Alberta communities have a great quality of life to offer. I am so pleased that this bursary program will provide new teachers with an extra incentive to teach in these communities, and I have no doubt that three years will be more than enough time for these communities to become home for the bursary recipients. More information on the northern student teacher bursary is available on the Northern Alberta Development Council's bursaries website at www.benorth.ca.

Mr. Speaker, I'm so pleased to rise today to acknowledge the excellent collaboration between the government of Alberta and education stakeholders in this province and encourage students to take advantage of all the financial support available to them for postsecondary studies.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

[Frequently Asked Questions about the Northern Student Teacher Bursary are also available online.]