Sask. Teachers' Federation says education funding won't maintain 'status quo'
The president of the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) says the 2.5 per cent increase for school operating costs included in the provincial budget won't go nearly far enough.
While the $2 billion devoted operating costs for Saskatchewan's 27 school divisions is a record spend by the province, the STF's president said it won't be enough to even maintain current levels.
"We ran the numbers, we found that we needed to see a 5 per cent increase to keep status quo in education," STF president Samantha Becotte told CTV News at the legislature on Wednesday after the Saskatchewan Party Government unveiled its 2023-24 budget.
• Funding for distance learning, capital projects included in record $3.1B education budget
"We're going to see a cut to services and a cut to supports for kids and it is really disheartening," she said.
Becotte said parents and caregivers can expect to see larger class sizes, as funding is not keeping pace with the rising enrollment in the province's schools.
She also said a $7 million increase in funding for educational assistants (EAs) will provide help but won't fulfill the need in Saskatchewan classrooms.
"Some of the things [EAs] are dealing with, they're just not trained for, there's more violence in our schools, and EAs are there really to support some of the extreme behaviours that we see in our classrooms, so we need more trained EAs in our classes, but we need professional teachers, professional supports," Becotte said.
"Providing more EAs is sometimes a bit of a Band-Aid on a gushing wound in education."
Education minister Dustin Duncan defended the education spending plan and said the ballooning enrollment at Saskatchewan's schools was top-of-mind when crafting the budget.
"Certainly wanted to make sure we were funding the enrollment increases that we have seen last year and this year as well, so that's in the budget," Duncan said.
"We are also providing some additional dollars for inflation like we did last year," said the education minister, who also pointed to a mid-year top-up paid out to schools by the government in 2022.
Duncan said based on enrollment, some schools could see increases beyond the 2.5 per cent stated in the budget.
However, Duncan said those decisions would wait until fall once enrollment numbers are confirmed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.