Education System Broken, Reform Needed

WINNIPEG: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling for significant education reform after releasing figures today which show the funding model for the public system is fundamentally broken.

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According to provincial government data, from 1999-00 to 2008-09, K-12 enrolment dropped by 10 per cent while costs skyrocketed by 45 per cent; more than double the inflation rate. "The number of students in the public system is down 10 per cent yet costs are up 45 per cent, that kind of math should get an F," said CTF Prairie Director Colin Craig. "The system is fundamentally broken. Taxpayers who are upset with their rising school tax bills need to call their MLA and demand reform."

	1999-00	2008-09
Spending (actual)	$1.2 billion	$1.743 Billion
Spending (adjusted to 1999 dollars)	$1.2 billion	$1.452 Billion
Difference	-	$291 Million
Enrolment	199,419	180,098

Salaries and benefits represent approximately 81 per cent of education costs

The CTF noted that salaries and benefits represent approximately 81 per cent of education costs and have risen by 46 per cent from 1999-00 to 2008-09. The increase is approximately double the inflation rate; a rate used by many private sector businesses as a guide for salary increases. "The education system is gobbling up every dollar we give it and then some. Education reform was one of our top recommendations for the upcoming budget. We hope the government listens," added Craig. Note: 2008-09 numbers were used for the comparison as the province's 2009-10 enrolment report is not yet public. However, 2009-10 FRAME report figures show expenses continue to climb higher than the rate of inflation while enrolment drops. Colin Craig, Prairie Director