NDP Official Opposition Education Critic and teacher Matt Love demanded the Saskatchewan government provide $50 million in emergency funding to cover the current shortfalls and to fund additional inflation costs for the next school year..School divisions are making “deep cuts” as they finalize their 2022-23 budgets across the province because of inflationary pressures and an uncertain financial future..“Schools are facing massive increases to operating costs, given 31-year high inflation,” said Love on Friday. .“Teachers and administrators are unequivocal. They desperately need funding that actually keeps pace with the soaring cost of gas, heating, and other expenses. If the province doesn’t step up, our kids will pay the price.”.Saskatchewan’s Minister of Education Dustin Duncan said Tuesday he would “monitor inflation’s impacts on school boards and families before making a decision on whether to provide additional support.”.Love said this response from the government is not enough..“That’s not good enough. The numbers are coming in and we know that without an urgent funding package, there will be huge cuts to jobs and support services. With budgets being finalized by the end of June, the time to act is now,” said Love..School divisions may not run deficits and that forces the school divisions to cut teaching and other positions as well as add lunchtime supervision fees..There are close to 100 job cuts announced, including 41 in the Saskatoon Public and Saskatoon Catholic alone..“Despite the minister’s claim that ‘the things that are affected by inflation are relatively minor,’ the province’s four largest divisions paid a whopping $30 million for student transportation last year, an expense that's only set to grow as the Sask. Party government refuses to provide any relief at the pumps,” said Love..Four largest school divisions 2021-2022 school year transportation costs:.Saskatoon Public Schools $6,157,492Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools $8,653,277Regina Catholic School Division $6,738,138Regina Public School Division $8,091,854
