Teachers, Parents, and Students Rally for Increased Funding for Saskatchewan Schools

A group of teachers, parents, and students gathered outside cabinet minister Paul Merriman’s office in Saskatoon on Saturday, demanding more funding for publicly funded schools in Saskatchewan. The rally comes as the provincial government is currently in negotiations with teachers, with over 90% of them recently voting in favor of job sanctions. The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation argues that after almost a decade of underfunding, the government has failed to address the crisis in schools.

Samantha Becotte, president of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, expressed dissatisfaction with the provincial government’s budget, stating that the increase does not match the growth in enrollment or inflation. She emphasized that every child has the right to high-quality public education and called on the government to provide the necessary funding.

The issue of class sizes was also brought up during the rally. Some teachers reported having over 30 students in their elementary classes in Saskatoon, while 12 Regina public schools are operating at over 100% capacity. With enrollment numbers increasing by 3.4% this year, the need for more teachers and resources is evident.

Nathan Bromm, vice-president of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, pointed out that the government has sufficient funding, but it is a matter of priorities. He claimed that the government’s billion-dollar surplus could be allocated to classrooms if they had the political will to do so.

Parents Rachel Engler-Stringer and Peter Garden, who have children with dyslexia, joined the rally to advocate for proper funding and resources to support students with diverse needs. Engler-Stringer stressed the importance of investing in public education for the future of children.

In response to the rally, Jeremy Cockrill, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Education, expressed the government’s readiness to listen to teachers and negotiate a fair deal. However, Bromm called for concrete action and urged the government to respond to the federation’s application for conciliation.

This rally was the third of four held in the province this fall, with one more planned for November 4 in North Battleford. The participants hope that their collective voice will bring about positive changes in the education system.