New Brunswick’s education minister says more funding for schools could be in the cards, as multiple districts have announced staffing cuts.
Some school districts have said they had no choice but to eliminate support staff positions after receiving less provincial funding than needed.
Minister Claire Johnson says the support staff cuts were not what she had in mind when the provincial government asked districts to “redirect” $43 million from their budgets.
Get breaking National news
“We were hoping that it was going to be cuts at the district level, like travel or meetings. More administrative, bureaucratic things,” she said.
Instead, multiple districts eliminated positions such as library workers.
- 21st Troy Reeb internship winner announced: ‘An amazing opportunity’
- Ontario education minister grills stakeholders on trustee reform legislation
- Alberta government develops new certification process to meet demand for teachers
- Calgary city council rejects proposal for charter school in northeast industrial area
Johnson says her team has been meeting with the districts to talk about the cuts and understand what can be done to readjust.
She refuses to call the “redirection” of funds a budget cut — something that has drawn widespread criticism.
“We’re asking them to redirect, rethink, reinvest, so it’s not a cut,” she said.
For more on this story, watch the video above.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.