The Ministry of Education has approved this year's budget of nearly $80.5 million for the Chinook School Division.

Director of Education Liam Choo-Foo says he's comfortable with what they've put together, as it allows them to maintain their literacy programs while also funding new initiatives.



The school division is also planning for a surplus of nearly $4 million.

Enrollment numbers were also a topic of discussion at the meeting. Preliminary numbers showed on opening day there were 5959 students enrolled in local schools, that's a decline of 165 students.

Choo-Foo says the primary reason for that is the difference in size between the graduating class of Grade 12s and incoming kindergarten students.