SWIFT CURRENT — A midday news conference outside the Education Minister’s Swift Current office turned into a direct faceoff Monday, as NDP education critics called for major new funding — and the minister arrived to defend the government’s record.
Education Shadow Minister NDP Matt Love and Associate Education Shadow Minister and Shadow Minister for Early Learning and Childcare NDP Joan Pratchler spent the noon hour on Feb. 24in front of Minister of Education Everett Hindley’s office in downtown Swift Current. They were seeking to bring awareness to what they describe as the urgent need for funding in education.
Calling for support for not only students but teachers in the next provincial budget this spring, Love made a “demand for an investment from Scott Moe and the Sask. Party in public education in Saskatchewan.”
As the shadow ministers were speaking, Minister Hindley arrived and voiced his counterpoints regarding the Sask. Party government’s funding for education.
The NDP shadow ministers continued to call for more funding. Love said that for roughly the last 10 years, data from the Fraser Institute shows a drop in education funding in Saskatchewan by about 15 per cent, while funding rose across Canada by six per cent.
"We know our students are feeling the impact. We know that our teachers, educational assistants and families across Saskatchewan see the impact of the failure to invest in education because they see it at school every day when they attend or when they go to work," stated Love.
"The NDP is here to demand in the budget coming up in a few weeks a real investment in public education in Saskatchewan. We think our kids deserve it, they deserve that commitment to a brighter future for them and for our province."
Pratchler referenced a recent report that indicated there were 26 fewer teachers in the province.
"All 26 of those lost jobs were in rural Saskatchewan. And so, education needs to be funded in order for us to meet our students’ needs. Those needs keep increasing. Teachers and our staffs are doing incredible work having to deal with less." Her final comment was, "Children make up 22 per cent of our population and 100 per cent of our future."
When asked why it was important for the NDP to come to Swift Current, Love stated, "We are engaging with school divisions from across the province to find out what they need in the upcoming provincial budget and to meet the needs of the children and youth that come into their schools. We are meeting with divisions and front-line workers in urban and rural Saskatchewan and small cities like Swift Current to make sure we are in touch with the needs of the province of Saskatchewan."
Love said that complex medical and behavioural needs, students new to learning English and growing class sizes make it "harder and harder to meet those needs especially when supports don't keep pace with that growth. That's why the NDP is calling on the Sask. Party to adjust [the budget] significantly for inflation and enrolment. We need sustainable, predictable and adequate funding for public education in Saskatchewan."
When asked what the NDP hopes to see addressed specifically, Love called for more classroom resources, increased operating funding for school divisions and additional funding for building maintenance.
Hindley responded by outlining what the government says has already been achieved.
"There are needs in the education sector. There are always needs in the education sector. But I would say as a government, we've strived very hard to make sure to provide as much support as we can when it comes to funding the education budget — making sure we are providing support to all 27 school divisions around the province."
Hindley said the education budget increased by 8.4 per cent in the past budget and 8.8 per cent the year before.
"There have been increases over the past couple of years to the education budget, and these have been historic increases. It builds upon some previous investments in education.”
He acknowledged growing enrolment, particularly in Regina, Saskatoon and Swift Current, and cited targeted investments such as Chinook’s specialized support classroom at Irwin School.
Hindley also referenced collective bargaining gains, new school builds and renovations, including an HVAC renovation at the Swift Current high school, and a $15-million increase to the preventative maintenance and renewal fund in 2025-26.
"Is there more than can be done? Certainly, there is of course. I don't think you would ever see this government say that everything has been addressed," Hindley said. "When the budget comes out this spring, you will see continued investments in education because we realize this is an important sector for this province and for communities right across Saskatchewan."
When asked about priorities, Hindley said, "Priority areas for us are always the students in the classroom and the teachers and the EAs that support those students. K-3 literacy is a key initiative for us. Continued investments into supporting and addressing the complexities in the classroom including hiring teachers in this area and expanding and continuing this good work. Continued investments in school capital to make sure we are building schools where needed — priorities for us is always the kids in the classroom."
In closing remarks, Love countered, stating "the Sask. Party only likes to tell half the story."
"If that minister can find anyone in the province who works in the school division that PMR [preventative maintenance and renewal] is adequate, I'm all ears. He won't find it. So they have to find the money elsewhere — and unfortunately when we don't maintain our buildings, divisions have to find those funds in places that are meant to support student learning and that is a problem. Are we keeping pace with inflation and enrolment growth? Absolutely not.”
Love added that schools have not recovered from previous budget cuts and referenced past teacher job action, stating, "The only reason why we have those is that the teachers forced it into the contract. If I was that minister, I would not take credit for the presence of those teachers when he actively fought to have them included."
Pratchler added, "You can let anything deteriorate for over 10 years — imagine if you let children's education deteriorate for 10 years. Are we giving the kind of excellent education that used to be around pre-deterioration? If we care about children, we care about their future."
With the provincial budget expected in the third week of March, debate over education funding is likely to continue.
