Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative government is eliminating most of the province’s elected school boards and merging many school divisions.
A bill now before the legislature would replace all elected school boards, except for the French school division, with community school councils and a provincewide advisory board.
The province’s 37 English-language school divisions would be reduced to 15.
Education Minister Cliff Cullen has said the proposed changes are aimed at cutting administration costs and redirecting money to the classroom.
The bill would also remove principals and vice-principals from the teachers union.
The Manitoba School Boards Association has campaigned to keep elected school boards, saying they are essential to keeping the school system connected to communities.
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