'I'm really struggling': Sask. parents paying for the loss of lunchtime supervision

With teachers moving to step up job action, some parents and caregivers are feeling the pressure and a financial pinch from the lack of lunch-hour supervision.

Piyali Dey said she is constantly stressed each time she has to interrupt her workday to watch her daughter over the lunch hour.

“I’m really struggling, and I’m just worried about if this continues, how I can manage everything,” she said.

Some school divisions charge parents and caregivers around $100 per student for lunch-hour supervision each school year, as a way to offset budgetary concerns.

With recent job action from the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF), students no longer have supervision over the noon hour, causing parents to wonder why they are still paying for the service.

“We need compensation because we just paid $100 at the beginning to lunch supervision, but they are not doing lunch supervision,” Dey said.

The STF declined CTV News’ request to comment on this particular issue.

CTV News also reached out to public and catholic school divisions in Saskatoon and Regina.

“Once a collective agreement between the STF and the government has been negotiated and sanctions come to an end, the division will review the missed days and communicate plans to compensate families who paid the fee,” Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools said in a statement.

“Regina Public Schools is aware that some parents have requested refund of fees,” a statement from Regina Public Schools read.

“We are aware and will respond to parents once there is a plan in place, as well as when we better understand how many days without noon-hour supervision there will be.”

Some parents and caregivers believe it’s a “small price” compared to the bigger picture.

“I’m supportive of the teachers and I’m supportive of the cause, so if there’s a mild inconvenience this week, next week, whatever, I think it’s worth it if we get the result we want,” parent Kurt Dahl said.

“We whole heartily support the teachers and what they are trying to achieve,” caregiver Christina Weggel said.

Both the province and STF are optimistic a solution could be on the horizon.