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| Public education sector blind-sided by post-budget cutbacks, QESBA claims | | | | Montreal, May 2, 2011 – The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) reacted with anger and disappointment to final budget rules announced by the government late last week that could have an impact on the quality of services delivered to students in public schools across Quebec. The final budget rules call for estimated compressions totaling $110 million that will have to be absorbed by school boards across Quebec “We were totally blind-sided by these new numbers,” said QESBA President Debbie Horrocks. Finance Minister Raymond Bachand deposited his budget on March 25th with a proposed 4.3 per-cent increase in system cost allocations for public education, for a total of $330 million in expenditures. “Now, with absolutely no consultation or exchange with the school boards, the government has ordained a major series of cuts,” said Horrocks. “We are managing our resources responsibly, and maximizing every penny we spend in the classroom. QESBA expects that in doing so, it will have a partner in government to work with. This sudden announcement leaves us wondering if that is, in fact, the case.”During his inaugural address, Premier Jean Charest promised to make education a priority while announcing investments in technology and special projects that were reflected on Budget Day. “The government neglected to mention that these major cuts were coming,” Horrocks added. “At this late date, our school boards have already initiated the process of committing the staff resources to their schools, which represent more than three-quarters of Board expenditures. I know that our member boards will do everything possible to protect our students from the impact of these cuts but they’ve been saddled with an untenable situation,” said Horrocks.“We are anxious to see this government’s actions match its words when it says that education is its priority. This announcement hardly fits that claim,” concluded Horrocks.The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) is the voice of English public education in Quebec representing 9 English language school boards and some 105,000 students. | | |
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