Montreal, November 28, 2014 – The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) has sent a letter to Premier Philippe Couillard following consultation with all nine member boards on the proposed merger of the New Frontiers, Riverside and Eastern Townships School Boards. In the letter signed by President David D’Aoust, QESBA is requesting answers about costs, projected savings, and most importantly how the plan would improve student success and classroom support.
Under the proposal from the Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sports, the new board would stretch from the Ontario border to the border near Maine and New Brunswick without consideration to long-existing unique communities such as Chateauguay Valley and the Townships.
“Each of these three boards serve a distinct portion of the English community and there is absolutely no natural affinity between the three regions of the province,” said D’Aoust. “We are all rightly proud of what we accomplish with little resources. Our students are successful and these three boards, like all English boards, are directly linked to our communities.”
A copy of the letter was sent to Education Minister Yves Bolduc and Treasury Board President Martin Coiteux.
The Quebec English School Boards Association is the voice of English public education in Quebec, representing about 100,000 students in Youth, Adult, and Vocational education.