P.E.I. school board dissolution supported by superintendent

The superintendent of P.E.I.'s English Language School Board is getting behind the province's plan to get rid of the institution she leads.

"Anyone who has spoken to me about our system here will have heard me say that we need to adjust the structure," English Language School Board superintendent Cynthia Fleet told CBC News.

The province announced Thursday it was dissolving the English Language School Board. The operation of the province's schools will be taken over by the Department of Education, with a new Crown corporation taking responsibility for transportation and hiring school staff, and with the assistance of several new advisory boards.

• School board elimination gets thumbs-up from P.E.I. education groups
• P.E.I.'s English Language School Board to be dissolved

Fleet said with just 56 English language schools there were layers of duplication in education administration, and she hopes that will be addressed in the restructuring. She also feels it is appropriate for the Department of Education to take charge.

"The way education will be run now the province is prepared to take full accountability," said Fleet.

Fleet said she will continue in her role for the next six to nine months, and that should give time for an orderly transition, with the department ready to fully take over by September 2016.

"Those of us who will shift some of our duties and roles, we're all going to step up to the plate and do what we have to do to make this happen for the children in the province," she said.

Fleet said she does not know what will happen to her personally once the change is completed.