Sask. Party Government Choosing Favourites with Funding
The surprise June 1 education funding announcement from government is creating significant disparities between school divisions. All school divisions are substantially underfunded, and this unpredictable, one-time funding hasn’t solved any problems.
“Despite the disparity in how this money was allocated, there still are no winners. While urban divisions fared better, every school division in the province is drastically underfunded and students are paying the price,” says Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation President Samantha Becotte.
“Overcrowded classrooms lacking support for complex student needs is not just an urban problem. These issues are impacting schools across the province, including rural schools.”
Based on school divisions’ stated shortfall following the budget announcement in March and the June 1 allocation, some school divisions may receive enough money to maintain last year’s status quo. Others like Prairie South School Division and Chinook School Division are still facing dire shortfalls of $3 million and $2.5 million respectively for their upcoming school year budgets. Despite claiming that concerns have been heard, government is still failing to properly manage public education. This additional funding does not address a decade of cuts or fill the estimated $400 million required to restore funding to 2012-13 levels.
“This is $40 million for a $400 million problem. It is a deliberate, political choice,” said Becotte. “Saskatchewan has a $1 billion surplus, government just announced record breaking exports in 2022 of $52.6 billion and has managed to find $57 million for the Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre. Meanwhile, schools that already exist and have registered students are left scrambling to try and support students.”
The timing of this announcement raises questions about government’s motives. Funding enrolment increases are a minimum expectation. Rather than including this in the budget announcement, government chose to play politics and create the impression that they were being responsive and solving a problem.
“This announcement follows 3,500 people gathering at the Legislative Building to let this government know that enough is enough. It is clear that political pressure works, rallies work, and we need to keep the momentum going to hold this government to their responsibilities for our students and families,” said Becotte.
Saskatchewan teachers are committed to advocating for public education until the government starts taking concerns seriously and makes a real investment in Saskatchewan’s future.
