Alberta's NDP government remains committed to cutting school fees in half, but not this year.

Education Minister David Eggen has asked the province's school boards to provide his department with a detailed accounting of how much they charge parents.

​"It was a, I think, a responsible decision to make sure we know what's out there and we can make sure that we have a sustainable education system for everybody that's affordable, too," he said.

During the election campaign, the NDP promised to "invest $45 million to reduce school fees by half, with a particular focus on banning lunch supervision fees," regardless of family income.

Relief for parents paying hundreds and even thousands of dollars in school fees wasn't part of the $103 million in funds restored to the education budget on Sept. 1.

Adding to the financial pressure is a drop in the oil price forecast in the spring budget and a looming deficit of $6 billion.

"Mandatory school fees hit low income families the hardest," Wildrose opposition said in a statement, calling the fees a "regressive tax that must be abolished."

"I"m not happy with the school fee situation and I intend to solve it," said Eggen.

The minister wants to eliminate charges for learning materials such as workbooks which are not optional as well, he says.