Government Ignoring Responsibility for Public Schools

While teachers and families are busy preparing for the new school year, the Saskatchewan Party continues to ignore their responsibilities for public education. Instead, they are attempting to mislead and divide the public in order to distract from a growing crisis of their own doing – a crisis caused by years of underfunding public schools.

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation launched a new campaign this week to draw attention to issues that the government is refusing to take responsibility for. Issues like crowded classrooms, a lack of access to the professional resources that students rely on, and year-over-year budget cuts. Issues that are harming student learning and making it increasingly difficult to be a teacher in Saskatchewan.

“Our new ad demonstrates the challenges students face in underfunded classrooms, and how teachers are working hard to support them,” said STF President Samantha Becotte. “The premier and new education minister are keen to talk about their billion-dollar surplus and growth that supposedly works for everyone. But their idea of growth isn’t working for the schools and children of our province.”

In a new report on public school funding in Canada, the Fraser Institute has found that between 2012-2020, Saskatchewan recorded the second highest increase in student enrolment among provinces, while also seeing the second largest decrease in per-student funding.

“The Fraser Institute’s new report confirms what the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation has been saying. The Saskatchewan government is providing less money for more students,” says Becotte. “You don’t need to be a math teacher to see that this does not add up. Saskatchewan is not a have-not province. Students and their families deserve a government that is willing to work with their partners to find solutions, not one that will play politics with serious classroom issues.”

The audio and video versions of the commercial are available on the STF YouTube channel. STF invites teachers, parents and anyone concerned about the future of students’ education to join the conversation and share their experiences by visiting www.tellthemtuesday.com.