Minister announces elimination of school fees

Education Minister Gerry Reid announced today the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will eliminate all school fees directly associated with the delivery of the province�s K-12 curriculum in the classroom.

"Many parents find it difficult to pay school fees in addition to the regular costs associated with preparing children for school," Minister Reid said. "Others have questioned the lack of consistency in the amounts charged for school fees across the province, and the apparent disparity in materials and services covered by school fees. We intend to end the confusion, once and for all."

Beginning next September, Minister Reid said parents will no longer be required to pay for resource materials and services; the so-called "consumables" which are part of the province�s authorized curriculum. These include, for example, Math and French workbooks, photocopying associated with authorized classroom materials and the provision of exam papers. Other fees, typically included as "school fees" by some schools (such as student insurance) may also be included. Those items will be further defined following consultation with representatives of school boards, school councils and educators.

In order to ensure all schools will be treated equitably, government will cover the cost of school fees by providing a per-pupil curriculum materials grant to school boards, with the clear understanding it will be directed, in its entirety, to students in the classroom. It will represent additional, guaranteed monies for schools, on top of the operating grants already provided to school boards for school use.

"The amount of the additional investment will be significant," the minister said. "An exact figure will be determined following the consultation process with our education partners. We will be meeting with the Newfoundland and Labrador School Boards Association (NLSBA), the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers� Association (NLTA), school district directors of education, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils (NLFSC) to clearly define what will be covered under the new funding."

Minister Reid said the school fees issue has become extremely complex, particularly as the amounts charged to parents vary so widely from school to school.

"It is clear that consumable resources, like workbooks, required for the provincial curriculum, will be covered by government," he said. "It is just as clear, however, that different schools have different ideas as to what materials and services should be included in school fees. That�s why the consultation process will be so important."

Minister Reid said a clear, consistent, province-wide policy on school fees will undoubtedly help ease the financial burden parents face each year. It should not, however, negatively impact on an individual school�s ability to raise extra funds for special program enhancements or extra-curricular activities such as school teams or field trips.

For that reason, schools councils will continue to be permitted to approve a levy, the payment of which is entirely voluntary. This levy will continue to be used to supplement, or replace, fundraising activities in the school.

"We recognize that every school is unique," Minister Reid said. "We appreciate that every school has the right to determine its own particular programming enhancements and extra-curricular focus. We will not, therefore, deny a school council�s right to approve funds for enhanced programming or special school projects which benefit children in that school. Parents can, however, choose to contribute to these fundraising efforts, to the best of their ability - or not at all."

NLFSC president Denise Pike said the announcement is welcome news to all parents of school-aged children throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

"We have always acknowledged that parents want, and expect, to contribute to the education of their children," Ms. Pike said. "However, we agree that materials which are part of the prescribed curriculum, and which students must have to fully benefit from that prescribed curriculum, should be provided to them free of charge.

"We support government�s decision to make this further investment in education - an investment which will have a direct and positive impact on children and parents," she added.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Minister Reid will be available to the media at 1:00 p.m. in his office, 3^rd Floor, West Block, Confederation Building.

Media contact: Nora Daly, Communications, (709) 729-1906

2003 09 18                                                                          12:05 p.m.