Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

Two South Okanagan school districts are expected to benefit from government funding.

The province is redirecting administrative funding from school districts back into frontline services for students.

Education Minister Mike Bernier said Tuesday districts can use the funding any way they see fit – for hiring new teachers, for programs or for maintaining schools despite falling enrolment in certain regions.

"Our government is committed to ensuring that maximum education dollars go into services for students," he said. "Districts worked hard to reduce their administrative costs and we are pleased to be able to direct that $25 million back to programs and initiatives that will directly benefit the kids of B.C."

In Penticton, MLA Dan Ashton announced that the government is providing School District 67 with $266,527 in funding and called for the money to be used to save Trout Creek Elementary School and West Bench Elementary School.

Ashton also revealed that the ministry has confirmed that the district stands to lose annual rural school grants as a result of the school closures. He also highlighted that the district has $1.9 million in operating surplus in the bank today.

In addition, he called on the district to ask for a special adviser to review the process that led to the decision to close Trout Creek.

"For the past number of months, many members of the communities and myself have worked tirelessly to save these schools from closing," he said. "I am very pleased to deliver more than $266,000 in funding to help the cause. It is now time for the school district to respond and reopen at least one of these schools, if not both."

Board chairwoman Linda Van Alphen, who attended along with other board members, parents from the two schools and others, said their process has been solid on this matter and the board has to meet and have a conversation about this.

Parents in attendance expressed frustration that they have suggested several solutions to the school closures and that they have been ignored.

Heather Allen, co-chair of the West Bench PAC, said she hopes that this is a signal of the value of community schools.

"You can't take away children's rights to walk or bike to school," she said. "Closing a school is closing more than just a school, it's closing a community building, which will have a devastating impact on us."

School District 53 is slated to received $118,102.

On Tuesday morning, MLA Linda Larson called for the funding to be used to save Osoyoos Secondary School.