The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Brian Warr, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development:
Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is the last day of school in our province and I am honoured to rise in this Honourable House to congratulate more than 66,000 students on a successful school year. I also extend my gratitude to the teachers, administrators and staff who work hard every day to provide safe, productive and inclusive learning environments for our children and youth.
This has been a productive year for our students, educators, the department and the implementation of the Education Action Plan. In less than a year, close to 40 per cent of the actions have been completed or are substantially underway. The plan, which guides actions to implement the recommendations from the Premier’s Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes, will result in a strengthened education system that is more responsive to the needs of students.
This year, 40 schools participated in the Phase 1 implementation of a new student services model to improve the education experience for students throughout the province. An additional 40 schools have been selected for the 2019-20 school year.
Budget 2019 has increased funding to support the implementation of the plan by just over $6 million, for a total budget this year of $13.2 million. That includes $9 million in teaching services and $2 million in professional learning for teachers.
Mr. Speaker, through the Education Action Plan, we are providing an educational environment that prepares students for lifelong learning and future academic and career opportunities.
I invite my colleagues in this Honourable House to join me in congratulating students, educators, staff and administrators who have worked diligently throughout the school year and in wishing them a safe and enjoyable summer break. Thank you.