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Roland Butler, Opposition Education Critic and MHA for the District of Port
De Grave, is calling on Education Minister Joan Burke to increase funding
for libraries, Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs, and to take other steps
to help facilitate literacy development in the province. "Today is Family
Literacy Day, the perfect opportunity for the minister to provide additional
funding that will help grow our library system and ABE programs in this
province," said Mr. Butler. "The minister is attending photo opportunities
today, but this needs to be backed up with action and increased funding that
will expand reading and learning programs in the province."
Last week, after reviewing the disappointing statistics relating to the
state of the province’s libraries, Butler raised the issue of underfunding
of the library system. While the national average for funding of public
libraries by provincial governments is $34 per person, this province lags
far behind at approximately $18 per person. There are also 22 communities
that have pending requests to have libraries established in their areas. In
addition, government is cutting ABE funding to centres that have less than
12 students, a decision that was recently made by Education Minister Joan
Burke. This decision will throw students, such as those at the Deer Lake
Community Learning Centre, out of a program where they are learning to
improve their reading and writing skills.
"Minister Burke is trying to convince people that her government is
committed to literacy development in the province. Unfortunately, her
actions certainly demonstrate otherwise. For a government that is going to
throw students out of a valuable program because there are not 12 people
registered in the course is absolutely shameful. This should be rectified
immediately and course funding should remain in place.
"The way this government is ignoring literacy issues in this province is
yet another example of their neglect of social policy. We have an
opportunity to foster and promote new opportunities in literacy development
in this province, however, instead of making new investments, this
government is moving in the opposite direction and removing opportunities. I
encourage Minister Burke to take this opportunity on Family Literacy Day to
reflect on these unfair policies and hopefully make effective changes that
will truly help literacy development in this province."
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