News of a review of provincial education in Manitoba has some trustees with the Flin Flon School Division (FFSD) fearful of what may come next.
The creation of the Manitoba Commission on Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education late last year has reopened debate of amalgamating school divisions in Manitoba. The commission has been tasked with undertaking a full review of education and administrative structures in the province.
FFSD trustee Murray Skeavington made an appearance at the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce meeting on Feb. 12, sharing his concerns with chamber members and visiting guest speaker Manitoba Liberal Party leader Dougald Lamont. Skeavington asked for chamber’s support in maintaining operations in Flin Flon.
The last time school divisions in Manitoba were amalgamated was in 2001 under the NDP government of Gary Doer. The plan was originally made to cut costs, but Skeavington said no such improvements were seen.
“In 2001, the NDP government amalgamated school divisions from 57 down to 37 and there was no cost savings. Actually, it cost more to amalgamate those than it saved,” he told chamber members.
“We can provide more services to our students. That’s the most critical thing here. The students are going to be the ones who suffer most here.”
Skeavington said he felt the school division may be a target for amalgamation because of the active role Flin Flon had taken in negotiations with the provincial government.
“The last government, we led negotiations in the last two terms with teachers. We’ve been the ones out front and both times, the government has not been happy. When the Conservatives came in, they basically told our provincial body... ‘Be prepared with this one.’ We were actually warned at our AGM one year ago not to start negotiations – sit back, do not do anything, stay there and let other people do the work,” he said.
The K-12 commission is co-chaired by former provincial education minister Clayton Manness. Working under then-premier Gary Filmon, Manness presided over the education ministry through a period of repeated budget cuts and financial austerity.
“If people from the 1990s remember ‘Filmon Fridays’ and all that, that is who is the co-chair of this committee,” said Skeavington.
At the FFSD board of trustees meeting later on Feb. 12, other members of the board voiced concerns of the commission’s potential results.
“I think we’re all concerned about it and hoping that we’re able to have our voices heard, that it won’t happen,” said trustee Ebony Trubiak.
Board chair Leslie Fernandes said the board had not been in contact with the ministry regarding the issue of amalgamation.
“We’re told that once the commissioners set forth to go out and speak to the public, that we’ll be told of those dates and we’ll have an opportunity to give some input, but as of Friday [Feb. 8] anyway, there has no been no date set,” said Fernandes.
