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Education
April 19, 2011

Budget 2011 Focuses on Future Prosperity
Through Strategic Investments in Education

Budget 2011 Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador, provides almost $1.4 billion for new and ongoing educational initiatives designed to give Newfoundlanders and Labradorians the knowledge and skills they need to participate in, and benefit from, the province’s growing economy.

The Provincial Government is committed to developing a society which recognizes education and lifelong learning as essential to economic development and an individual's pathway to success and well-being.

“Our government is moving forward with early learning, K-12 and post-secondary investments to ensure our citizens are given every opportunity to succeed, beginning at birth and continuing through to their adult years,” said the Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Education. “With funding targeted towards educational programming and infrastructure, we are continuing to provide the resources and learning environments people need to prepare them to meet the challenges of the 21st century.”

Early Childhood Learning
A total of $4.8 million has been committed over the next three years to begin implementation of the Provincial Government's Early Childhood Learning Strategy, Learning From the Start, as is also reflected in today's announcement of support for children and families.

The initial focus will be on providing parents and caregivers with access to information and resources that will give children from birth to age three the best possible opportunities to develop the social, emotional and cognitive skills that will form the basis of their future development and learning.

Technology for K-12 Schools
Almost $11 million has been earmarked under the 21st Century Learning Strategy in Budget 2011 to purchase additional computers and interactive whiteboards for schools throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

“With technology evolving so rapidly, it is important to replace aging equipment and provide our schools, our students, and our teachers, with the modern equipment they need to learn and teach effectively,” said Minister Burke. “Providing these new resources will build on previous investments in new technologies, and ensure all of our students, throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, are prepared for post-secondary pursuits.”
This latest investment brings to $16.4 million the amount allocated for new and refurbished computers and interactive whiteboard technology since 2006.

K-12 Infrastructure
The Provincial Government is continuing its aggressive investment in K-12 infrastructure to accommodate growth areas, ensure teaching and learning will continue in safe and comfortable environments, and maximize programming opportunities for students.

A total of $94.5 million is included in Budget 2011 for new and ongoing K-12 infrastructure projects, including $4.4 million for eight new projects.

New K-12 infrastructure projects are as follows:

  • $1 million to continue planning for an extension and redevelopment of Roncalli Elementary in St. John's. Enrolment at this school has increased by almost 45 per cent in recent years and is projected to grow even further;
  • $1 million to begin planning to extend and renovate the former Regina High school facility in Corner Brook. This will enable the aging Presentation Junior High to close, and create a modern, newly-refurbished intermediate school for students in the area;
  • $500,000 to plan for an extension and renovations to Holy Spirit High in Conception Bay South to accommodate increasing enrolment. Two temporary classrooms will be placed onsite in September 2011 to address immediate capacity issues;
  • $500,000 to begin the process of extending and renovating Gander Academy to address the growing student population. The extension will house a new library/learning resource centre, and enable the reconfiguration of the current library into three additional classrooms;
  • $500,000 to plan for the refurbishment of Holy Heart Regional High in St. John's;
  • $300,000 to begin planning to address growing infrastructure needs in the Portugal Cove-St. Phillip's area;
  • $300,000 for planning to address capacity issues at schools in the rapidly growing Conception Bay South area; and,
  • $300,000 to begin planning to address infrastructure needs in the Torbay, Flatrock, Pouch Cove and Bauline areas.
Support for Post-Secondary Students
In keeping with the Provincial Government’s commitment to building a skilled trades workforce to meet the future needs of industry, Budget 2011 allocates $15.4 million over three years to provide additional incentives to employers to hire apprentices, particularly those from traditionally under-represented groups, such as women, Aboriginals, and persons with disabilities. The Apprenticeship Employment Rebate, the details of which will be announced in the coming weeks, will complement initiatives announced to date to help apprentices move through their training program and achieve journeyperson status in a timely manner.

Budget 2011 also includes the provision of $6.4 million to maintain the tuition freeze at public post-secondary institutions for the 2011-12 academic year to ensure students can continue to enjoy the most accessible and affordable post-secondary education possible. In the past seven years, $138.8 million has been directed towards this initiative.

“Our government has shown its commitment to post-secondary students by maintaining the tuition freeze and introducing debt reduction initiatives designed to enable them to begin their working lives without bearing the burden of an unmanageable debt,” said Minister Burke. “With our students and graduates continuing to excel on the national and international stage, we are preparing the future leaders who will help build on the unprecedented prosperity the province is experiencing today.”

Post-Secondary Infrastructure
The Provincial Government recognizes the importance of investing in existing post-secondary facilities to maximize their longevity and to update instructional spaces to provide more modern learning environments for students.

At Memorial University, $19.8 million in new funding has been approved over the next three years for infrastructure repairs and other deferred maintenance. With this new funding, $36 million has now been allocated to support the university's deferred maintenance strategy through to 2013-14.

This funding will help extend the life of the university facilities and modernize buildings through electrical and mechanical upgrades, and exterior projects such as window replacements and roof repairs.

In addition, $7.7 million will be provided over the next two years for laboratory upgrades at the university. The funding will be used to improve lab ventilation and exhaust systems, as well as eyewash stations, chemical storage areas and provide other upgrades to building systems. Combined with previous investments of $5.8 million, this brings to $13.5 million the amount invested in laboratory improvements at Memorial University since 2009.

College of the North Atlantic will see $3.2 million in new funding invested in repairs and maintenance over the next three years to support the continued upgrading and renewal of its facilities.

In addition, close to $7 million will be allocated over that same time period for laboratory and shop modernization, to improve program delivery and ensure graduating students have the skills they need to meet industry requirements, both now and into the future. This investment is in addition to a total of $2 million previously announced for shop modifications in 2011-12 and 2012-13 through the Skills Task Force.

Post-Secondary Programming
The Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at College of the North Atlantic trains individuals to be medical laboratory technologists, who are integral members of a health care team.

Over $1.9 million has been allocated over the next three years, through the Departments of Education, and Health and Community Services, to expand the program to central Newfoundland with a new offering of 15 seats at the college’s campus in Grand Falls-Windsor.

In addition, Budget 2011 provides another $1.9 million, through the Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA), to support the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program at College of the North Atlantic. This is in response to a demonstrated need for additional LPNs in the province's health care system.

A total of $650,000 has been allocated over the next three years to support Memorial University’s purchase and installation of two simulators, a Helicopter Ditching Trainer and a Freefall Lifeboat Simulator, which will serve to enhance safety training and research in the offshore petroleum industry. The land-based Helicopter Ditching Trainer will be an added component to training offered in the existing Helicopter Underwater Escape Trainer (HUET), in that it will allow individuals to experience the vibrations, rocking in flight, command control and operation of seats in a wide variety of potential emergency situations. The Freefall Lifeboat Simulator will enable individuals to practise, in a virtual environment, their response to an event whereby lifeboats would be deployed from an offshore oil rig or bulk carrier. The simulators will enable more frequent training for offshore petroleum workers, in a safe environment, to ensure they are best prepared to respond to an emergency at sea. These initiatives will complement recent improvements in HUET simulation training and equipment recently announced by the Marine Institute of Memorial University and the Hibernia Management and Development Company.

Further Budget 2011 support for post-secondary programs and services, noted in other Provincial Government announcements today, include:

  • $656,000 over the next three years to support Memorial University’s Native Liaison Office; and,
  • $115,400 annually to the Murphy Centre in St. John’s, which will allow an additional 25 individuals to access its academic programs.

Budget 2011 also allocates $100,000 to the Provincial Information and Library Resources Board for priority repairs and maintenance projects at provincial library sites.

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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca 

2011 04 19                                                                                  2:35 p.m.

 
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