School’s now out for the summer.
But not before the province delivered some end-of-term lessons in where its values lay.
This spring, school boards were surprised to learn they’d have to make further budget cuts, in the form of “administrative savings.”
For North Shore school boards that added up to more than $1 million.
The province gives, and the province takes away.
Mostly, however, the province has been taking. Except, apparently in very specialized areas.
Recently, the education minister dug deep into his pockets and pulled out $150,000 in scholarships for students from China, South Korea and Japan to study in B.C.
The move has prompted considerable questioning as a dubious use of taxpayer dollars. Last time we checked, there was no lack of local students who could benefit from financial help.
Our schools still struggle with program cuts and a lack of cash for things like seismic upgrades.
And chances are, if you’re the type to send your kids across the Pacific to attend public school, money isn’t a factor.
Symbolically, however, this indicates that B.C. schools are open for business. For the past decade, increasingly, that’s what school districts have become — businesses. Ones that must figure out to make money so they can pay for services that used to be paid by the province.
That’s not supposed to be a main goal of the education system, but that’s what it’s become.
If nothing else, where the province spends its cash is a good indication of who and what it values.
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