REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Education Critic Matt Love was joined by education workers on the steps of the Legislature to protest cuts to education and call on the government to provide increased school division funding reflective of rising inflationary costs.
“More students than ever are struggling to meet learning objectives and struggling with their mental health,” said Love. “The last thing the government should be doing is cutting school division funding. Educators are working tirelessly to provide the best possible experience for their students, while being asked to do more with less.”
School division operating funding increased 5.1% since 2016, and the Canadian Price Index jumped 14.5% over the same period. Though the Ministry’s school division funding plan boasts of investment of just over $29M, this fall short of maintain the status quo within classrooms. School divisions across the province have been unequivocal that the funding does not even begin to meet the rising costs associated with inflation.
“Everyone is rightly frustrated over the Sask. Party’s cuts to education,” Love said. “We all want our children to grow up happy and successful. But these cuts will compromise learning and school services at a time when we need to be investing in our children, especially after the disruptions of the last three years. The future prosperity of our kids and our province depend on education, and if we do not invest in education now we will certainly pay for it in the future.”
The Official Opposition calls on the Sask. Party government to address the concerns of education workers and make funding reflective of the challenges facing school divisions and students today.
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