March 27, 2013
Education Funding Focused on the Classroom, Students: Minister
Through Budget 2013: A Sound Plan, A Secure Future, the Provincial Government continues to channel maximum funding for education where it belongs – into classrooms, for the benefit of students, and to maintain the best pupil-teacher ratio of any province in Canada.
“Budget 2013 investments clearly demonstrate that the education of our children and youth remains a major government priority,” said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education. “Our commitment is evident in the fact there will be no reduction in the allocation of regular classroom teachers assigned to deliver the required curriculum; no reduction in direct services or supports for students with special needs; no changes to K-9 class size caps for the required curriculum, and that we are able the maintain a pupil-teacher ratio that is the envy of the country.”
About $537 million, almost 64 per cent of the entire education budget, is approved for teachers’ salaries, substitute teachers, student assistants, professional development, and various services for teachers. Reductions have been made in areas such as administration, learning resources support and district-based numeracy supports. This will result in the equivalent of 142 fewer positions assigned for the 2013-14 school year, with a further reduction of 18 positions as a direct result of enrolment decline. However, there will be more than 5,400 teaching positions allocated to the education system in September 2013, and with about 550 teachers eligible to retire this year, there is no expectation of teacher job losses.
Minister Jackman noted that student enrolment has declined by 14,000, or 17 per cent, since 2004, and there was a need to examine all organizational and administrative supports. The Department of Education first identified more than $6 million in efficiencies in the departmental budget. Further streamlining of services will be achieved through the establishment of two provincial school boards in Newfoundland and Labrador as of September 2013 – one English and one French-language board.
“The next steps will include the establishment of a transition team, with representation from across the province, and advertising for a provincial board CEO,” said Minister Jackman. “The internal structure and organization of the provincial board will be finalized prior to the start of the 2013-14 school year.”
Minister Jackman said there has been an unprecedented level of investment in early childhood learning and K-12 education since 2004, with the overall budget increased by 42 per cent, despite continuing enrolment decline. An example of major investments can be viewed in the backgrounder below.
“We have had some budget reductions this year, but I think we need to put this in perspective,” said Minister Jackman. “The total budget is down just three per cent from last year. Since 2004, we have introduced valuable programs and services which did not exist before. We have increased support for children with special needs; we have systematically addressed aging infrastructure needs throughout the province, and we have continually reinvested teachers – and supports for teachers – into the system. Our commitment to education has never wavered, and it will continue to be strong as we move into the future.”
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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca
Backgrounder
Unprecedented Investments in Education Continue
Budget 2013: A Sound Plan, A Secure Future provides $840.6 million to continue to build on education investments, and to provide ongoing funding for new initiatives introduced since 2004. Those investments include:
- $620 million for new schools, extensions, redevelopments, renovations and repairs and maintenance to existing infrastructure;
- $59 million for distance learning, through the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation (CDLI);
- $50 million for the elimination of standard school fees;
- $20 million for the expansion of the free textbook to all K-12 students;
- $17.5 million for the Excellence in Math Strategy;
- $17.4 million for music, theatre and visual arts programming and equipment through the Cultural Connections Strategy;
- $16.4 million for interactive whiteboards and computers;
- $8.8 million for the Futures in Skilled Trades program;
- $5.6 million for lab safety upgrades and science equipment; and,
- $4.3 million for initiatives approved under the early childhood learning strategy, Learning From the Start.
2013 03 27 10:10 a.m.