Federal Funding Must Be Used to Make Class Sizes Smaller: NDP

Saskatchewan NDP Education Critic Carla Beck welcomed a federal announcement bailing out the Sask. Party for their refusal to commit adequate funding to a safe school reopening, and called on the Sask. Party government to rapidly allocate that funding to making class sizes smaller in order to ensure a safe return to schools and minimize the risk of outbreaks.

“Despite having months to get the return-to-school plan right, Scott Moe and Gord Wyant kept insisting that no additional funding would be necessary to make schools safer for our kids during a pandemic – to the extent that they waited until far too late to even allocate funding from their own contingency fund. Despite the concerns raised by families, educators, and medical professionals, they did nothing to address class size as crucial weeks passed,” said Beck.

“Today, Education Minister Gord Wyant has finally acknowledged that COVID-19 means additional costs for schools. He has been handed a lifeline for his failed back to school plan, but the clock is ticking – he must not let Saskatchewan families down again.”

Saskatchewan will receive $74.9 million – almost double the $40 million that the Premier allocated from the $200 million contingency fund only after extensive public outrage forced his hand.

“The Premier and Education Minister’s slow-mo, status-quo approach has left parents feeling betrayed, stressed and frustrated. Our classrooms are too crowded now because they were too crowded before,” said Beck. “School divisions still aren’t sure what, if any, additional funding they will receive, or if the government will in fact claw back funding at the end of September if enrolment declines due to COVID-19. We can’t be satisfied with the status quo. We must demand better, and that means a real plan to put this additional federal funding to work where it counts.”

Latest posts

JEREMY COCKRILL IS FORCING HEALTHCARE WORKERS TO A STRIKE VOTE — AND HIS OWN COMMUNITY WILL PAY THE PRICE

Pattern Of Failed Bargaining Attempts Mean Workers Leaving For Good And Putting System In Increasing Danger: Roy
NORTH BATTLEFORD – Carla Beck’s team is in Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill’s own riding today, calling him out for forcing 14,000 desperately needed healthcare workers to vote on a strike as they have gone four years without a contract.

CARLA BECK’S TEAM CALLS FOR ACTION TO SUPPORT SASKATCHEWAN PRODUCERS IN WAKE OF DAMNING REPORT ON PRODUCERS BEING SHORTED AND SQUEEZED

Agriculture Producers Association Of Saskatchewan Says Costs Rising, Farm Share Falling For Saskatchewan Producers
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team, while taking in Ag in Motion in Langham, is calling on Scott Moe and the Sask. Party to take action to improve the bottom line for producers.

THE SASK. PARTY CLAIMS ABOUT IMPROVING SAID PROGRAM DON’T MATCH THE REALITY OF CLIENTS WHO ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO GET BY

Scott Moe, Sask. Party Focused On Photo Ops & Political Spin While Those In Need Suffer
REGINA – Today, Carla Beck’s team is calling out the Sask. Party for their continual failures to provide sufficient support for SAID clients here in Saskatchewan.

POTENTIAL HEALTHCARE WORKER STRIKE ENTIRELY THE FAULT OF SCOTT MOE, JEREMY COCKRILL

Carla Beck’s Team Demands A Fair Deal For Frontline Workers After Four Years Without A Contract
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is laying the potential of a fall strike involving thousands of healthcare workers squarely at the feet of Scott Moe and his ignorant Health Minister — who seems to cause strikes everywhere he goes — and demanding immediate action to get to the bargaining table and deliver a fair deal.

NDP Caucus Office