NDP Education Critic Carla Beck called on the provincial government to act immediately to lower class sizes following the news that Regina Public Schools has been forced to take teachers out of the classroom to accommodate e-learning needs.
“Parents and educators have done everything in their power to make the return to school as safe and positive experience as possible, despite the chaos caused by the Sask. Party’s lack of planning,” said Beck. “Not only did the Premier Moe fail to make smaller class sizes a priority - Education Minister Gord Wyant is now making class sizes larger.”
In a Facebook video posted yesterday, Regina Public School Board Trustee Adam Hicks detailed changes being made as of Monday, September 21 that will take teachers out of the classroom in 23 Regina Schools. In the video, Hicks states that “We hired as many new teachers as we possibly could but when it came down to it we didn’t have additional funding” and that “funding is expected to decrease” with lower Kindergarten enrollments.
“Premier Scott Moe and Gord Wyant had six months to plan and failed. They’ve taken no responsibility, downloaded all responsibility to school divisions and haven’t provided any of the funding necessary to address the many issues parents and students are facing,” said Beck. “The result is predictable - chaos and bad decisions that could have been avoided if this government had done its job. They owe Saskatchewan families an immediate apology.”
Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.