P.E.I. school closures would be opposed by Georgetown-St. Peters MLA

The MLA for Georgetown-St. Peters says he's prepared to fight for his constituents if the English Language School Board tries to close schools in his district.

Opposition education critic Steven Myers said it is not appropriate for the school board to make decisions to close schools because of the impact on the community as a whole.

"I don't think it's the responsibility of the school board to shut down small communities," said Myers.

"Government has to lay out its plan for Prince Edward Island as a whole, and how rural Prince Edward Island ties into that. It's a much bigger picture than saying that the school board has given themselves the right to close communities down. There has to be more to it than that."

This week, the English Language School Board approved a new policy to oversee school changes, including closures.

Community hub proposals

Myers's district is home to two small schools, in Georgetown and Cardigan, both of which had fewer than 100 students last year. The decision to close those schools, he said, is especially inappropriate for an unelected school board.

Myers said the province should consider a program that would turn small schools into community hubs, similar to a plan developed in Nova Scotia.

Under that plan, communities can put forward uses for schools outside of school hours, which can then bolster the argument for keeping the school open.

The Nova Scotia plan was announced in July 2014, and proposals have been presented from three communities. All the proposals have been rejected.