REGINA — Saskatchewan is promising more money for classrooms, child care, and post-secondary schools in its 2026-27 budget, as the province says it must keep up with rising enrolment and growing student needs.The budget sets education spending at $4.65 billion, up $221.2 million, or 5.0%, from the previous budget. Education makes up 20.9% of total government expense this year, second only to healthcare.A big share of the new spending is aimed at the K-12 system. Boards of education are to receive an operating grant increase of $62 million in the 2026-27 school year. The province says that it will help pay for enrolment growth, higher costs, and another 50 specialized support classrooms, bringing the total across Saskatchewan to 108. Those classrooms are meant to help students with self-regulation and give teachers more support in increasingly complex classrooms..“The circumstances will vary among school divisions in the province, but overall, this budget is consistent with what we’ve seen for funding in recent years,” said Dr. Shawn Davidson, President of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association. “However, it doesn’t represent additional investment in the sector outside of specialized support programming.”The budget also sets aside $124 million in school capital. That includes funding for a new joint-use middle and high school in Martensville-Warman, a new school in Premier Scott Moe’s riding of Shellbrook, and a major renovation at Esterhazy High School. Money is also to continue work on 20 new schools and three major renovations already underway, along with relocatable classrooms for divisions under space pressure.Sask NDP Leader Carla Beck said that “while so many desperately needed schools are ignored, Moe made sure his own riding got one.”.Early learning and child care remain a major part of the plan. The government has earmarked $426 million for early learning and child care and says renewed federal support will help keep spaces affordable and stable for families and operators. The budget also continues the rollout of the national school food program alongside the provincial child nutrition program.At the post-secondary level, the province says a new multi-year funding deal will give institutions 3% operating increases each year for four years. Annual tuition hikes are to be capped at between 0 and 3%. The budget also includes $119 million for student affordability measures, including $68 million for the graduate retention program.
