School board grant budgets maintained - despite enrolment decline and school closures

Despite the on-going annual four per cent decline in student enrolment in the province�s K-12 education system, and the closure of 97 schools since 1996-97, the 2000/2001 budget for school board grants is maintained at last year�s level.

"That school board operating grants have not been reduced is a clear indication of government�s commitment to maintaining a high quality system of education in our province," said Education Minister Judy Foote today.

Government�s commitment to allow school boards to retain savings from school closures for three years expires for some boards in the upcoming fiscal year. This would have resulted in $2.7 million being deducted from school board grants in 2000/2001. Government has decided to reinvest this amount in the system. Further, for the second consecutive year, government has decided not to reduce school board grants as a result of enrolment decline. This results in a further $600,000 being maintained in the system.

"In total, the amount that school boards have been able to retain as a result of school closures and enrolment decline is $7.6 million. Newfoundland and Labrador�s educational effort (expenditures as a per cent of GDP) continues to be greater than that of any other province. I think the numbers speak loudly and clearly of government�s commitment to the education of our children," added Minister Foote.

Newfoundland and Labrador has seen a decline in student enrolment at a rate of four per cent per year and a high rate of decline is projected to continue. In 1996-97 school year at the beginning of the reform process, there were 106,205 students in the system. This school year (1999/2000) saw that number reduced to 93,957 and enrolment is projected to fall to approximately 90,000 students in the 2000/2001 school year.

Media contact: Andrea Maunder, Communications, (709) 729-0048.

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