One English school board to be introduced by Island government

The two English school boards will be amalgamated into one before the end of the end of the current legislative session, the P.E.I. government announced today.

The announcement came during the Speech from the Throne this afternoon at Province House in Charlottetown.

Lieutenant Governor Frank Lewis delivered the speech and said the learning of Island students is important to growth on P.E.I.

“Learning is the key to social and economic growth. It is a process that is nurtured at a very young age.”

Finance Minister Wes Sheridan said it is a very exciting move towards education on the Island.

“All of our educational effort is making the very best decisions for Island students. We want to insure the very best of what we provide inside the education system.”

Sheridan said with the amalgamation of the two school boards the government will be able to save around $1.4 million, but that isn’t the only reason for the move.

“It’s very important not only for the money saving but we can create a much easier, more transparent way to deliver very important curriculum to our students.”

The consolidation will give the ability to make great efficiency and decision-making, said Sheridan.

“Taking all that is good in the two old school boards and directing it into one true effort that will continue to push our education ideals forward and that is what is important.”

Other education initiatives in the speech included increasing the George Coles Bursary, maintaining student-teacher ratios and investing in educational infrastructure.

The government will also setup a new common assessment for all Grade 12 students and will adopt more than 30 recommendations from the new Education Governance Commission.