Media Release
SARM and SUMA join forces to Oppose School Closures
The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) and the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) have joined forces to appeal to the Province to place at least a one-year moratorium on school closures.
“Our communities need an opportunity to evaluate their situations and, where possible, take the action necessary to keep their schools open. It is clear that all affected municipalities share that opinion,“ said SARM President David Marit.
“Schools in our rural communities are vital to the economic growth of their area and seeing currently proposed developments come to fruition,” said SUMA President Allan Earle. “Our two associations and our members have been working very hard through the Clearing the Path initiative to encourage economic development in our communities and to ensure a prosperous future for the province. Some of these closures stand to undermine the momentum of all the partnerships we’ve been building together.”
In the interests of their members, SARM and SUMA are today calling on the Province to intervene and take the necessary action to keep these schools open.
“Our province is admittedly in an economic boom, and the education infrastructure is already in place. We just don’t want to abandon the infrastructure that is so vital to continuing growth,” said President Marit. “It is up to the Province to keep that from happening.”
For more information contact:
David Marit
SARM President
Cell: 306.476.7754
or
Allan Earle
SUMA President
Cell: 306.230.9500
