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VICTORIA — The Surrey school board is pleading for more than $10 million from the provincial government to pay for extra portables needed for students next year.

The board passed a motion this month asking for a special $10.5 million grant from the Ministry of Education to pay for 20 to 30 new portables needed to accommodate growing enrolment, said board vice-chair Terry Allen.

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“That $10.5 million comes directly out of our budget,” said Allen.

“There’s no offset for it at all. The board’s position is throughout the province there’s money for declining enrolment, there’s money for northern allowance, but there’s no allocation whatsoever in the budget for growth. And the growth in Surrey is absolutely huge. This year alone we’ve got 1,200 more students. We’re actually asking the province for some relief from that cost.”

The money for portables could otherwise be used by the district to hire 100 additional teachers, or 200 additional education assistants, said Allen.