Premier Christy Clark says school closures are the result of declining enrolment, not lack of funding from the government. Photo by Lyone Doherty
BC Premier Christy Clark says school closures are the result of fewer students, not a lack of funding.
That was her answer last week when the Chronicle asked the premier about what she thought of school closures and the impact on communities.
Clark was in Oliver March 21 to announce emergency funding for helping repair a section of irrigation canal damaged by a rock slide at Gallagher Lake.
Clark said the solution to keeping schools open is to grow the economy. This will attract more families to communities, which in turn will help with school enrolment, she said.
For example, she noted the Okanagan Correctional Centre in Oliver will attract many employees with families (to repopulate local schools).
“As more people bring their children, that means schools stay open (and can reopen).”
Clark acknowledged that School District 53 will need to make some hard decisions about school closures.
According to the premier, school enrolment is up in BC for the first time in a decade.
She noted that 50,000 people came to BC last year.
