Nova Scotia students deserve support, not cuts: NDP

HALIFAX – Today, Official Opposition Education Critic Paul Wozney, with literacy advocates, called on the Houston government to better support student learning instead of cutting the resources they need to succeed.

“Parents, students, and teachers have been sounding the alarm for years. They know that when a child falls behind in reading and writing, that can affect their confidence and ability to learn. But instead of investing in our schools and communities, the Houston government is cutting school support staff like literacy and math coaches, and refusing to properly fund public institutions like libraries,” said Wozney. “Every child deserves the chance to succeed. Instead of short-sighted budget cuts, we need real investment in education, in communities, in our future.”

Wozney was joined by NSTU President Peter Day, as well as representatives from Literacy Justice Nova Scotia. Literacy Justice is a parent group calling for better reading and writing support in public schools.

Provincial testing shows that half of Grade 6 students aren’t meeting writing expectations, and a third of Grade 8 students are reading at levels below what’s expected.

“Too many Nova Scotia children are entering high school unable to read well enough to learn. The good news is that it’s not too late – if the government acts now, they can make a real difference for students who need literacy support to succeed,” said Louise Hanavan, a parent and volunteer co-founder of Literacy Justice Nova Scotia. “Every child deserves to learn to read, regardless of who they are, where they live, or their families' income and literacy level. Nova Scotia is leaving too many of our children behind. Our kids deserve better.”

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