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Eddie Joyce, MHA for the District of Bay of Islands, is today correcting
comments made by Education Minister Tom Hedderson in which he stated that
cuts are not taking place to the education system in the province. Joyce
issued a press release last week indicating that parents were being asked to
volunteer their time in the library at Sacred Heart Elementary in Curling.
The school was forced to send out letters asking parents to volunteer their
time in running the library because the school did not have the budget to
hire a librarian. The school is now offering librarian training for parents
interested in volunteering.
"When I heard Minister Hedderson state publicly that cuts were not taking
place to the education system in the province, I was absolutely shocked,"
said Mr. Joyce. "This is the same government that is responsible for
eliminating 401 teaching positions from the classrooms over the past two
years; reduced the number of secretarial hours available in schools
throughout the province this year; and is forcing schools to send letters
home to parents asking them to volunteer their time because funding is not
available to hire the appropriate staff. Does the minister want a copy of
the notice received by parents, or would he like me to provide a phone
number for the school so he can request a copy of the notice personally?
"I have raised the issue of cutbacks to the education system numerous
times over the past several months. In March, the Western School District
alone cut over 50 teachers. Since then, I have spoken with parents and
teachers who have expressed concerns about overcrowding in classrooms. In
September, secretarial hours were cut at schools across the province. And
recently, letters were sent to parents looking for volunteers to fill
positions usually occupied by trained staff. If these are not cutbacks, what
are they?
"Until this minister realizes that cutbacks to the education system are
hurting the education of our young people, I fear there will more service
reductions in the future. If a school is not given enough funding to hire a
librarian, a full-time secretary or enough teachers, something is not
working. What will be the next service cutback, janitorial hours? While the
minister may try to use catch phrases and public relations spin to try and
deflect criticism, the fact is that the children of our province are the
people who are being treated unfairly. I suggest he realize this fact before
he silently makes the next cut."
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