cuts.

The Royal Gazette last night learned that the National PTA has applied to the Corporation of Hamilton for permission to march from City Hall to Parliament on Monday.

The march, if permitted, will coincide with the Budget Debate on education.

Government in the 1993/94 Budget set aside $43.7 million for education, $425,000 less than last year.

And the Education Ministry was told it must make cuts to the tune of $2.2 million to stay within its operating budget.

The proposed cuts include 25 teachers, summer school programmes, 50 percent of the Ministry's textbook budget, teachers' pay for overseas workshops and conferences, sabbaticals, and grants for general equipment, supplies and school trips.

National PTA president Mrs. Marian Askia last night said she was still waiting to receive approval from the deputy Governor for the march.

But she confirmed that letters had been sent out yesterday to invite representatives from all three political parties to a planned gathering at City Hall before the march.

Parents are expected to present a petition against the cuts when they arrive at Parliament.

The news of the march came on the heels of a meeting between Education Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons and Northlands PTA last night.

At the meeting attended by some 70 parents, Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan and education officials, parents were relieved to hear that the school will not be closing next year.

But relief quickly turned to concern for parents who realised their children will not be a part of Government's restructured school system.

Mr. Simons said under Government's new school-reform timetable Northlands would become a primary school in September, 1997 and Dellwood would become a middle school.

Students at either school at that time would simply transfer to the alternate school, he said, noting that Northlands was once a primary school.

Mr. Simons said the change had to take place in 1997 because that was the year when the senior secondary school at Prospect is due to be completed.

And, he said, all of the school reform plans hinged on that.