Teachers who have been feeling the effects of inflation and enrollment growth in the classroom should be pleased to hear that the Government of Saskatchewan is providing the province’s 27 school divisions with a $40 million funding boost, bringing the 2023-24 school year budget to $2.08 billion, a record amount.
The funding announcement was made at Bishop Filevich Ukrainian Bilingual School, a school that has doubled in size over the last year, and in the last four months alone gained 183 students.

Minister of Education Dustin Duncan says $20 million will go towards addressing school enrollment growth. This funding will be allocated to divisions in the fall, once actual enrollment numbers are known. Duncan says this ensures that the funding is distributed to areas with the greatest need. The other half of the funding will allow school divisions to hire support staff to address the increase of students with additional needs such as teachers, educational assistants, speech language pathologists, counsellors, and psychologists.

Board Chair of Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Diane Boyko says not only will the money assist teachers in their jobs of providing the best education they can, but families who have moved here from Ukraine will also benefit from language and counselling supports. The Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation, however, says that the surprise funding announcement is extremely disappointing.

STF President Samantha Becotte says significantly more money is required to counteract years of budget cuts.
In a news release, the STF pointed out that Saskatoon Public Schools Division had a $10.5 million funding shortfall in the 2021-22 school year. They say the funding announcement only gives SPSD an increase of $2.66 million.