Today’s budget is expected to restore funding levels to previous years for building and renovating schools, and provide support to university students.
Deputy education minister Dennis Cochrane said yesterday that today’s budget is expected to raise capital funding levels from about $60 million last year back to $90 million.
Last year’s capital cash went toward 11 school renovations and eight construction projects provincewide.
Today’s budget will reveal the funding allotments for the nine schools on the province’s current capital construction list. Metro schools on the list include Ecole Secondaire de Halifax (a French high school) in Bedford, Waverley Memorial-LC Skerry Elementary and Lakeview Consolidated Elementary.
University students are also expecting some sort of cash infusion.
Education Minister Karen Casey recently revealed there will be an “attractive” item for university students in the budget. Her remark came following a recent provincewide review of student aid that conceded for a system of needs-based grants.
Paris Meilleur, executive director for the Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations, said they’re expecting that to be an announcement of a system of needs-based grants.
“Obviously, no one knows for sure, but if they’re going to invest in post-secondary education there’s a clear consensus that needs-based grants are the first thing to invest in,” Meilleur said.
