NL Government withholding school reports

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Government withholding school reports

EDUCATION

Engineering assessments of Holy Heart, Bishops still in 'draft' form, months after decisions made

ROB ANTLE
The Telegram

Holy Heart of Mary Regional High School is slated for closure as a part of school restructuring in St. John's. — Photo by Joe Gibbons/The Telegram

The provincial Department of Education is withholding engineering reports on the state of two St. John's high schools, claiming the reports are still in draft form - even though the local school authority made decisions four months ago based in part on the reports' findings.

On March 5, The Telegram asked for copies of the engineering reports for Bishops College and Holy Heart of Mary High School.

But Friday - 23 days after the initial request - department officials said the reports are still not final, and cannot be released to the public.

Provincial officials said that consultants are making minor revisions to the studies, correcting information such as the age of Holy Heart, which was listed incorrectly.

They said a misunderstanding led to the department not making it clear three weeks ago that the reports were still in draft form.

"Every effort is being made to get it finalized, and to be able to release it," Department of Education spokeswoman Jacquelyn Howard said.

She denied that the department is classifying the reports as drafts to delay making them public. But the government won't release what it has now.

"That would be a draft report, that's something we don't do - we're not going to release a draft report, it has to be finalized," Howard said.

"There is no intent to withhold it; it's clarifying information that's in it," Howard added.

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