The Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation (STF) was pleased with the language from the provincial government in Wednesday’s Throne Speech.
In a press release, the STF said the Government of Saskatchewan recognized the importance of public education on Wednesday. The STF said that after more than a decade of underfunding, Saskatchewan teachers are encouraged that the Government of Saskatchewan has reaffirmed its commitment to investing in students and public education.
“Education works and investing in public education is an investment in our province’s future,” Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation President Samantha Becotte said in the press release.
“I’ve had positive conversations with (Education) Minister (Everett) Hindley, centred on working together to address the challenges students and teachers face. We support this new direction and expect that new schools will come with funding for enough teachers and other educational supports for students.”
The last round of bargaining, which concluded with an arbitrated decision, resulted in an additional $20 million per year in funding and approximately 500 new teachers to help address class complexity.
“While this is a positive step forward, our work is not done. Additional funding and collaborative efforts are needed to solve the challenges in our schools and meet students’ needs,” Becotte said.
“Teachers remain committed to working with the Ministry of Education and sector partners to create the future we all want and need.”
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
