Sask. hiring Lean consultant for education ministry

REGINA – The province is out with a Request For Proposal (RFP), seeking a company to deliver Lean training across ministries, school divisions and post-secondary education.

The controversial cost-savings approach has garnered attention for its use in Saskatchewan’s health care system and now the province wants to expand its use of Lean in education.

However, the opposition NDP says more money should be spent directly on schools, instead of going towards Lean initiatives.

“Education is as Lean as it can get. What it needs is an investment and an investment that will certainly pay off many times in the life of a child,” said Trent Wotherspoon, NDP Deputy Leader.

The province says Lean has delivered vast savings in health care despite complaints from workers.

“It’s very clear as well, in this RFP, that they want to continue that very brand of toxic Lean that John Black brought to this province,” said Wotherspoon. The province ended its controversial $40-million contract with John Black and Associates ahead of schedule.

READ MORE: Province terminates Lean contract early to “reduce costs”

Although it hasn’t garnered as much attention as it did in health care, the Lean program has been used across government ministries, including education, for the past six years.

“Simple things such as a new hire coming on that used to take them weeks to get them in place, they’ve cut that time down by 75 per cent,” said Don McMorris, the minister responsible for the Lean initiative. “Once you see the savings and the cost avoidance, you would think that this is almost a ‘no brainer’.”

The government has spent $5-million over the past six years on Lean initiatives within ministries, with a cost savings of $27 million.

The province says the Lean contract will have a cap, however it won’t disclose the amount.