Education Minister Doug Currie looking to streamline system

P.E.I.'s new education minister plans oncreating a "leaner, more efficient" education system.

Doug Currie was re-appointed to the department of education in last week's provincial cabinet shuffle. He previously served as education minster under Robert Ghizfrom 2010 to 2011.

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Currie'sreturn to the portfolio comes two months into a major transformation of education on P.E.I., as theEnglish Language School Board was dissolvedand its functions absorbed into the department.

Curriesaidhis plan involves streamlining at the top-end to focus more resources on the classroom.

The minister saidit's too early to say what positions, if any, might be eliminated by the change.

"I don't look at it as reductions, I want to look at it as we have two organizations right now, and the priority is to build an organization that is going to be lean, is going to be efficient from an organizational perspective," he said.

"We are looking at opportunities to makesure we are effective and supportive, but at the same time how do we continue to protect those frontline positions?"

Currie also says it's premature to speculate whether there might be a change in the number of teaching positions in the budget government will introduce this spring.

FinanceMinister Allen Roach has promised to table a balanced budget,

Currie says there are "fiscal realities" to be addressed byall ministers around the cabinet table.