Education
Executive Council
August 15, 2013
The Department of Education’s major school infrastructure project approvals and expenditures are now being posted online. This follows the routine posting of project approvals and expenditures related to school repairs and maintenance, which first went online in January of this year.
“Earlier this year we began posting information related to project approvals and expenditures for repairs and maintenance, as we are sometimes asked to provide specific information on roofing, electrical upgrades, window replacements and other routine projects undertaken at schools,” said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education. “We are now including current approvals for major capital projects – such as new schools, extensions and redevelopments – as well as expenditures for the previous year. This will give interested individuals and organizations easier access to even more information of particular interest to their school community.”
Project expenditures for the 2012-13 fiscal year (April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013) and project approvals for the 2013-14 fiscal year can now be viewed at: www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/. Additional projects can be approved throughout the year, as necessary. The repairs and maintenance projects outlined are in addition to minor projects undertaken at the school district level.
“Providing more information to the public is a responsibility we take seriously, and a part of our routine business of government,” said the Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development and Minister Responsible for the Office of Public Engagement. “Departments throughout government continue to identify documents that are commonly requested and deemed routine in nature, and to make them publicly available. This online posting is a good example of being proactive in disclosing material which may be of interest to the public, and is part of our government’s commitment to become a national leader in public engagement.”
Budget 2013: A Sound Plan, A Secure Future provides almost $102 million for new and ongoing school infrastructure projects. Since 2004, about $620 million has been allocated for school infrastructure throughout the province, including almost $220 million for more than 1,850 repairs and maintenance projects.
Media contacts:
| Heather May Director of Communications Department of Education 709-729-0048, 697-5061 heathermay@gov.nl.ca |
Heather MacLean Director of Communications Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development 709-729-4570, 631-8155 heathermaclean@gov.nl.ca |
2013 08 15 11:55 a.m.