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Wildrose party would cover schools fees if elected

Alberta Wildrose Leader Brian Jean says his party will do away with mandatory school fees if it forms the government after the May 5 election.

EDMONTON — Alberta Wildrose Leader Brian Jean says his party will do away with mandatory school fees if it forms the government after the May 5 election.

Jean says the fees are unfair to families and cost about $100 per student each year.

Jean says a Wildrose government would reimburse schools $100 million a year to make up for the fees.

He says the cost would be covered off through broader cost-saving initiatives such as eliminating 3,200 senior manager jobs.

Premier Jim Prentice and the Progressive Conservatives say the Wildrose math is off.

They note that Alberta Education estimates the fees to cost $193 million a year, and they say the Wildrose must let voters know where the money would come from.