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

SCOTT MOE’S PUBLIC SAFETY MINISTER WEGER CAUGHT LYING ON THE RECORD ABOUT SHOCKING WILDFIRE REPORT

Enough Is Enough — Scott Moe Needs To Fire His Incompetent Public Safety Replacement Minister
SASKATOON – Scathing new documents show the Sask. Party government lying to people of the North who lost so much during last year’s devastating wildfire season. The lies are just the latest in a series of failures, cover ups and scandals concerning Scott Moe’s government’s horrific preparation, response and review of the disaster that saw hundreds of homes and businesses burnt to the ground.

LUXURY JET SCANDAL TAKES OFF AS WEEDMARK REFUSES TO PRODUCE RECEIPTS

Second Luxury Jet Video Emerges Showing Scott Moe’s Out-Of-Touch Sask. Party MLA Using Lavish Private Jets To Perform Government Business
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is demanding that Scott Moe’s MLA for Moosomin-Montmartre reveal how many times he has used luxury private jets while performing government duties.

SCOTT MOE’S REFUSAL TO PROVIDE RELIEF KEEPS SMALL BUSINESSES UNDER WATER

Retail Sales Growth In Saskatchewan Dead-Last, Financial Anxiety For Consumers Highest In Canada
SASKATOON - Carla Beck’s team is standing with a Saskatoon small business owner, calling out Scott Moe for refusing to provide any relief despite sky-high costs, which will only be made worse by new tariffs.

REGINA PEDIATRIC DIABETIC CARE CHANGES LEAVE RURAL FAMILIES FEELING ABANDONED

Scott Moe’s Minister Brushed Off Changes Last Week, Said Health Authority Could Have Communicated Better
WOLSELEY — A mother from Wolseley is speaking out about an abrupt and harmful change to pediatric diabetic care in Regina that she says has disrupted care for her family and made an already difficult situation even harder to navigate.

NDP Caucus Office