The following statement was read in the House of Assembly today by the Honourable Krista Lynn Howell, Minister of Education:

Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House to congratulate College of the North Atlantic for receiving the Silver Program Excellence Award for Early Childhood Education from College and Institutes Canada.

These awards recognize and promote excellence within Canadian colleges and institutes, and highlight the role of our institutions in social, cultural and economic development.

College of the North Atlantic currently offers four programs in early childhood education, including a two-year diploma, an advanced diploma in Administrative Leadership, a four-year applied degree in Early Childhood Education and – beginning this September – an advanced diploma in Early Childhood Education Advanced Studies in Inclusive Practice. Speaker, there are currently more than 600 students enrolled in early childhood education programs at College of the North Atlantic.

Once they have finished their studies, those individuals will play a key role in providing high-quality early learning and child care throughout the province.

To meet the needs of families seeking child care, we need a sustainable early learning workforce. College of the North Atlantic is one institution training that workforce, and they are doing a fine job of it.

Speaker, I invite all honourable members of this House of Assembly to join me in congratulating College of the North Atlantic in receiving the Silver Program Excellence award for Early Childhood Education from College and Institutes Canada.

Well done, and well deserved.

Thank you.