PENTICTON — The provincial government is making a latch ditch effort to save two south Okanagan schools from closing but it’s not clear if it’s going to be enough money.
Penticton MLA, Dan Ashton, announced Tuesday that the provincial government is giving the Okanagan-Skaha School District more than $266,000 to help save Trout Creek Elementary and West Bench Elementary from closing.
The school board recently decided to close the schools due to declining enrollment.
It’s not clear whether the $266,000 will be enough to save the schools from closing but Ashton is hoping it will be enough to keep at least one open.
“I am very pleased to deliver more than $266,000 in funding to help the cause. It is now time for the school district to respond and reopen at least one of these schools, if not both.”
Ashton pointed out the school board is running a surplus $1.9 million and says that money should be used to save the schools. However, it’s not clear if that’s possible.
Ashton is also calling on the school board to appoint a special advisor to review the process that lead to the decision to close the two schools.