Alberta Greens Response to the Education Minister on not hiring drop-outs.

(Calgary Sept 15th, 2008) “The question the education minister should be asking is not whether companies should be hiring high school drop outs, but how this ministry can ensure that the schools are there for the people who need them,” said George Read Leader of the Alberta Greens.

“The department of education has dropped the amounts they collect for schools year over year,” said Read. “They are even proud of it. They brag about it.”

The Alberta government website states that 2008 “… marks the 15th straight year that the education property tax mill rate has been lowered or frozen. In fact, since assuming responsibility for school property taxes, the province has cut school property tax rates by 47.2 per cent.” – Government of Alberta Education website http://education.alberta.ca/admin/funding/tax.aspx

The report on the state of our schools shows a bleak picture of run down schools with neglected repairs. In 2007, twenty nine percent of all schools in Alberta have components that are reaching the end of their lifecycle and require additional expenditure for renewal or refurbishment. http://www.infrastructure.alberta.ca/Content/Publications/production/annualreport.pdf pg 50

“An educated work force drives a green economy. The Alberta Green Party would adequately fund our schools rather than side stepping the problem and bragging about our ability to short the education system money,” said George Read Leader of the Alberta Greens.