The Alberta Liberals’ education critic is calling the recent funding increase to privately funded accredited schools a further step towards privatization.

Liberal MLA Harry Chase calls the move “elitist” and says it will only serve to further undermine Alberta’s public school system, which is still reeling from budget cuts in the mid-’90s.

“I do have concerns that whatever financing goes out of the public taxpayers’ pockets to prop up private schools comes at the expense of public schools,” says Chase.

Provincial funding for accredited private schools will increase to $117.7 million from $109.7 million and will go into effect for the 2008-09 school year. Private schools will now be eligible for Alberta Initiatives for School Improvement grants for operations and maintenance.

As part of the agreement, private schools will be required to follow the same core curriculum as public schools, employ Alberta-certified teachers and have students write provincial achievement tests. Alberta Education must also monitor the schools. The measures will act as a check-and-balance system says Alberta Education spokesperson Kathy Telfer.

Public schools saw their budgets slashed by 12 per cent in the mid-’90s as part of the Conservative government’s effort to eliminate the provincial debt. According to Chase, they’ve never recovered, and unless Calgary’s public schools receive a large injection of money, their infrastructure deficit will soon reach $1 billion.

According to Telfer, the Alberta government’s investment in education is the highest in the country and it remains a priority. “Over the last 10 years, investment into public education has gone up 85 per cent,” says Telfer. “The government continues to invest in public education, but it also believes in choice.”

While he has no problem with private schools existing, Chase says taxpayer money should be going towards public schools because of their inclusiveness. Private schools, he argues, emphasize people’s differences, while public schools bring people together.

“Public schools don’t provide any filters or screening processes,” says Chase. “That’s the strength of the public system in that it’s universal. It opens its doors and embraces students regardless of their ability to pay, culture or religion.”

“One of the challenges private schools have faced is attracting teachers to teach in their schools,” says Telfer. “In order to make sure that their children get a good quality education you want to attract good teachers.”

There are 193 private schools in Alberta. Of that, 127 are accredited. Enrolment for private schools in the province is about 3.5 per cent of the total student population. (TH)