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Roland Butler, Opposition Education Critic and MHA for the District of Port
De Grave, is disappointed that government is looking at discontinuing
funding for some Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs in the province.
After an ABE pilot project last year, government established a required
number of 12 people to be enrolled in a program to receive funding. Despite
recommendations to the contrary by ABE co-ordinators, government moved
forward with this arbitrarily established number of students. ABE programs,
such as the one being conducted through the Deer Lake Community Learning
Centre, have 8 registered students and are having a difficult time
attracting the required number. Without government funding, this program and
others will no longer be able to survive. Funding is scheduled to be cut in
February.
"When I was made aware of this circumstance and heard the concerns of the
students affected, I was absolutely shocked that government is willing to
cut funding to ABE programs that are helping so many students throughout the
province," said Mr. Butler. "While government arbitrarily established a
required student enrollment of 12 people to qualify for government funding,
many smaller communities are struggling to attract this number of students.
This formula might work in larger centres, but as demonstrated in the case
of Deer Lake, adults looking to better their lives are poised to fall
through the cracks of a flawed funding process.
"While there may be additional adults willing to participate in these ABE
programs, many of the programs don’t have sufficient funding to advertise.
It is unfortunate that the students who are already enrolled will have to
suffer as a result of a policy that is not reflective of the educational
needs of some people of this province. I am asking Education Minister Joan
Burke to re-evaluate her department’s policy and try to find a solution to
this problem before this program funding is scheduled to be cut next month."
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