On the heels of the Provincial government's education funding announcement Thursday, Progressive Conservative leader Hugh McFadyen is criticizing the N.D.P. for spending more and getting less. The N.D.P. announced a 2.7% funding increase to public schools, noting overall education funding support has increased 47% since 1999.

McFadyen notes recent numbers from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Program for International Student Assessment showed Manitoba students are falling behind their peers in other province's in critical areas such as reading, mathematics, and science. He notes a dramatic increase in per student spending by the N.D.P. over the last ten years hasn't equated to better classroom results.

In a Progressive Conservative news release, the party states the cost-per-pupil to educate students in Manitoba has shot up 40% since the N.D.P. was elected. McFadyen says that would be fine if spending had increased, and student performance had improved but that hasn't been the case.

 


McFadyen says where the N.D.P. has missed the mark is there's been no focus on results. He says Thursday's funding announcement, with all of its bragging about increased spending over the last decade, appears to him to be nothing more than the N.D.P. trying to cover-up the fact results are getting worse.

 

 


McFadyen says his party will have more to say about education as we get closer to the next provincial election in October.