Editor:
In September, students will return to our schools in even greater numbers than when they left in June.
Although the schools are dark, the Ad Hoc Committee Advocating for Surrey Schools – concerned with the serious overcrowding of schools and lack of capital funds since 2005 to build new schools – is increasing its efforts to work with the provincial government to secure immediate capital funding and ensure that they develop a long-term funding plan for education that meets the needs of Surrey’s growing community.
Even if the government acted today, it will take up to five years and $273 million to build the schools Surrey needs today. Yet before construction of these schools is complete, our school population will grow by 4,000-5,000 students.
We need funding commitments to meet this growth.
This problem will have an increasingly negative impact on Surrey’s children and young adults, our future citizens, to serve Surrey’s future needs.
You can help. Write, call or email your local MLA, our education and finance ministers, as well as our premier, and express your concerns on this issue.
Linda Stromberg, Surrey
Editor’s note: The committee, formed in March, comprises representatives from the city, business community, teachers union, CUPE, parents advisory councils and students.
