‘Eight new schools, now’

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SURREY (NEWS1130) – They’re demanding eight new schools from Premier-designate Christy Clark.  Hundreds of students, parents, and teachers will rally in Surrey today to protest overcrowding.

Paul Hillsdon is heading up the rally and says they have a message for BC’s soon-to-be Premier.  “The provincial budget has over $1 billion in flexibility and we’re putting it to Christy Clark: You have a responsibility as the new Premier to ensure every child has a quality education, and Surrey has been ignored for far too long.  We need eight new schools, now.”

“The provincial government hasn’t given us any new capital funding since 2005.  So, we’ve got more students in the same amount of schools, and overcrowding is just getting worse and worse and worse,” he adds.

Hillsdon explains at least 800 people are moving to Surrey each month, and that means more than 7,000 students will be learning in portable classrooms this year.

“It’s gotten to the point now where we have 232 portables in this district.”

He’s hoping the demonstration will put pressure on Victoria.  “I think we really have an opportunity here to build a new relationship with the provincial government, to start fresh, and to solve this outstanding issue.”

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