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Education
Geographic isolation, limited course offerings (especially advanced courses) and shortages of qualified teachers are some of the barriers faced when planning their course curriculums for these regions.
The Northern Fiber Link will improve delivery of education to rural areas who's students are educated mainly out of antiquated text books. With little opportunities for advanced education in the regions, the youth are required to leave their families in order to further their education.
These cultures are at a critical time in terms of preservation of cultural knowledge and historical information. As 3rd generation family members loose contact with their elders, they have no opportunity to remain immersed in their traditional lifestyle, thus furthering the divide between the ways of their ancestors, and today's world. Without the opportunities available to most of today's youth, this demographic is juxtaposed between two worlds; with limited job skills training, and an inability to survive on a purely subsistence lifestyle.
Affording the youth in these communities the ability to remain in their home towns for education through distance learning programs is critical to preservation of languages, cultural values, and a wealth of knowledge that is being lost as the elders pass on, and the youth move away from the villages in search of better education and job opportunities.
In addition to preservation of infomation and culture within the regions, it allows for a sharing of and introduction of this heritage and wisdom to other parts of the world.