The Government of Canada has announced that school divisions across the province will have access to additional funding as Saskatchewan is set to receive $74.9 million as a result of a new spending commitment by the Government of Canada.
This funding will be added to the $40 million in new education funding already committed by the province from the COVID contingency fund, and is in addition to the $40 million in funds available through school division savings.聽 While application intakes will occur throughout the school year, the first intake closes end of day tomorrow.
As work continues to welcome students and staff back into classrooms on September 8, parents and caregivers will now have access to detailed information for their child鈥檚 local school. As previously announced, all school divisions will post online and communicate to parents and students these details today, Aug. 26.
Copies of each specific school鈥檚 plan will be made available through their respective school division websites. A list of Saskatchewan鈥檚 school divisions can be found at聽.
These plans may be updated or refined as students and staff return to school. Further information regarding testing for the education sector, including reporting and notification, will be distributed to parents on Thursday.
鈥淎s we work with our sector partners to ensure a safe return to school, we know that there will be increased costs associated with staffing, preparation and supplies,鈥� Education Minister Gordon Wyant said.聽 鈥淲ith the federal government鈥檚 contribution, there is now up to $150 million available to our education sector for costs associated with a safe return to school.鈥�
In response to the announcement of federal funds for education, NDP education critic Carla Beck said, 鈥淭oday, 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 鈥� he must not let Saskatchewan families down again.鈥�
She added that the funds need to be used to hire more staff and make class sizes smaller, so they鈥檙e safer for children.
鈥淭he Premier and Education Minister鈥檚 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,鈥� said Beck.
鈥淪chool divisions still aren鈥檛 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鈥檛 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.鈥�
Earlier this summer, the Ministry of Education centrally procured six million masks to distribute to school divisions to make available on a daily and ongoing basis.聽 The first shipment has now been delivered to all 27 school divisions and is in addition to full-face shields the province obtained which will be made available for all staff.聽 The second shipment of masks is set to leave the supplier today and will be delivered to school divisions during the first week of school.
The Government of Saskatchewan continues to monitor the transmission of COVID-19 in the province and updates will be made to the Safe Schools Plan as necessary based on the advice of the Chief Medical Health Officer.
