N.B. education grant fund frozen
The New Brunswick government has frozen a learning fund for teachers after defending its availability earlier this month.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Department of Education confirmed that new minister Roland Hache has placed a freeze on the Innovative Learning Fund – a program which gave out $5 million a year in grants to teachers who wanted to try out new approaches to teaching in their classrooms.
Last week the previous education minister, Kelly Lamrock, had joined the Liberal party’s attacks on Progressive Conservative leader David Alward regarding education cuts made earlier this year.
At the time, Lamrock defended the program, saying the Tory leader would prefer to cut the Innovative Learning Fund grants.
On Monday, Lamrock was transferred to the Department of Social Development when Premier Shawn Graham shuffled his cabinet. Roland Hache was moved from the environment department to take over the education portfolio.
Tory leader applauds freeze
The province’s opposition leader, David Alward, applauded the Liberal government’s decision to freeze funds in the program.
The Tory leader said he has argued for weeks that the money should be used to reverse job cuts for school intervention workers and school library staff.
"I'm pleased to hear that Minister Hache has frozen the fund, but freezing it is not enough," Alward said on Friday. "We need to see the positions reinstated in the classroom," he said.
Hache refused interviews on Thursday. However, a spokesperson with the minister’s office said no decision has been made on what to do with the innovation fund.
The official said the minister is currently looking at options which may include using the innovation fund money to restore the school intervention and library positions cut earlier this year.
Alward said it was yet another case of the Liberal government failing to consult and then backing off after they've created a crisis.
"Time and time again they have had to reverse their decision. You would think at some point in time, it would start to sink in with the premier."