Nearly 2000 people were outside of Minister Paul Merriman’s Saskatoon office on Saturday to voice their concerns about the underfunding crisis in public education. The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation hosted the rally and were joined by frustrated citizens, parents and students.

A release from the STF states that in 2012-13, Saskatchewan had the highest per-student total public education spending in the country. Now, Saskatchewan students are funded at some of the lowest levels in Canada with per student funding at 8th place. In the release, STF President Samantha Becotte says the turnouts she has seen at the mini rallies so far, held in Moose Jaw, Humboldt, and now Saskatoon, should be a signal to government that people are fed up with their status quo of underfunding and budget cuts. Teachers have been dealing with an increase in class size and complexity, and classroom violence.

The fourth and final mini rally of this series will take place in North Battleford on November 4th at 1 p.m. outside the office of Minister Jeremy Cockrill.