The BC Ministry of Education announced the details of this year’s School Enhancement Program, which it says is about investing in the province’s future.
“I announced earlier this year that we were going to be working with school districts from around the province around our school enhancement fund,” says Education Minister Mike Bernier. “We’re looking at how we can make repairs, how we can have longevity in our infrastructure around the province of British Columbia.”
“I’m very pleased to announce, under our school enhancement program, $45 million that’s going to be going out to all of the school districts in the province of British Columbia. Every school district will be getting a part of that. We have 80 projects and 124 schools around the province of British Columbia that are going to be benefiting from this.”
School District 57 will receive $2.1 million – $1.9 million will go to upgrades at Nusdeh Yoh Elementary while Mackenzie Secondary will get $206,600 to replace its dust collection system.
School Board Vice Chair Tim Bennett has mixed feelings about the funding, which districts have to apply for .
“This is a great news story for our district. It means the work both at Nusdeh Yoh and Mackenzie secondary can be done and it helps stretch our annual facility grant a little bit further.”
Bennett says they’ve repeatedly asked the Ministry to increase the annual facility grants.
“We as a board have recently sent a letter to the Ministry, thanking them for the opportunity to apply for these additional funds but once again are calling on increased annual facility grant funding and allowing local districts the opportunity to say what projects needs to be done without having to add additional work to our staff.”
Bennett says a more efficient way of upgrading school facilities would be to increase annual facility grants, getting rid of the red tape involved in the application for the School Enhancement Program and giving districts more autonomy over their building upkeep.
“We at the District are very excited about it we just again, are hoping that, in the future, these funds can be part of the annual facilities grant so that our staff can ensure that the local schools are getting the work that they need.”
Bennett says applying to the program takes time and money that school districts just can’t afford.
For a complete list of School Enhancement Program disbursements, click here.