New high school in Duncan not needed
From the recent news article, the district says, “The district also said that since the 2014/15 school year, it has been experiencing significant increases in enrolment after years of decreases.”
How so? District enrolments for all Cowichan Valley schools in 2012 was 8,179, 7,906 in 2013, 7,682 and 2014, 7,587 in 2015, 7,606 in 2016, 7,594 in 2017, and 7,800 in 2018. From 2012 in comparison to 2018, the district enrolment is still minus 379. A new high school will cost approximately $75 million. A lot of taxpayer money for a minus student enrolment of 379. Common sense prevails that the Cowichan Valley School district does not warrant the cost of a new $75 million high school. Maintaining the upkeep on a regular basis of the present high school is the best option from a taxpayer’s point of view.
Joe Sawchuk
Duncan