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Yvonne Jones, Opposition Labrador Affairs Critic and MHA for the District of
Cartwright - L’Anse Au Clair, is concerned by the decision of government to
cut teaching positions from the two school boards overseeing education in
Labrador. "I was very disturbed when I found out the Labrador School
District is expected to lose 12 teaching positions, mostly in Labrador West,
and the Western School District is expected to lose 44 positions in the
upcoming school year," said Jones. "I have serious concerns about the impact
this will have on schools in Labrador. How can government justify further
cuts to our education system which has been strained to the limit in recent
years.
"This is not the fault of the school boards, it is a matter of government
wanting to save money and jeopardizing quality education as a means of
achieving their fiscal goals. Government should be moving in the opposite
direction by investing in our schools and students for the future. Rather
than cuts, school boards need additional teaching units, substitute days and
money for infrastructure repairs.
"There was no consultation with parents or school leaders before
government made this decision, they have handed down the decision to save
money and make cuts from the Minister’s office in St. John’s. In fact,
residents in my district do not even have a representative on the Western
School District, even though their circumstances are unique and
representation is essential to garner a true understanding of the conditions
in Labrador schools."
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