P.E.I.'s new education model: Opposition questions process

As changes to the Island's education system were debated at length in the legislature Wednesday, P.E.I. Education Minister Hal Perry announced he's put a transition team in place to move the functions of the now-defunct English school board into the Department of Education.

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The speed of the major changes to the education system has the Opposition concerned.

It peppered the education minister with questions, andestablished the province itself did not first notify teachers, principals, students or parents about the changes.

Then, education critic Steven Myers asked who government consulted to come up with the new education model.

"Can you confirm there was no collaboration with anybody prior to now?" Myers asked Education Minister Hal Perry.

"There was a great deal of collaboration prior to this announcement," answered Perry. "We went back over reports that went from one end of the Island to the other. The Education Governance Commission, the Task Force on Student Achievement, all those recommendations were used."

Some new details were also revealed about several advisory councils government is setting up for principals, teachers, parents and students.

Perry said he plans to take their recommendations very seriously, but added he will have the final say on whether to take action on them.

The new councils will convene in January 2016.