STF disappointed provincial windfall won’t be reinvested into classrooms

Cheques from the government are fine, but the union representing many Saskatchewan teachers would prefer the money find its way into the province’s classrooms.

After Premier Scott Moe took to Twitter to share a $500 windfall coming to all adult residents of the province, and Finance Minister Donna Harpauer shared that a surplus exceeding $1 billion is behind it, the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) wants to see some of that money invested into support for students.

“I think it was a bit of a shock,” said STF president Samantha Becotte.

Though Becotte said it is great to see Saskatchewan has a surplus after all the shortfalls in the province’s most-recent budget, she said she hoped some of those funds would be redirected for use in education in the province.

Becotte said there have been a number of cuts made to educational support both in and out of schools that have hurt Saskatchewan’s students. The STF president pointed specifically to support for mental health and literacy, which she said are lacking.

She said seeing the money being given to the general public instead of reinvested into educational programs is “a little disappointing.”

“That money could be used to help actualize the plans they’ve set out,” Becotte said.

Previously, Moe said the surplus based on resource revenues should be rebated to the people of Saskatchewan because all residents share ownership of the province’s natural resources.

Not all of the surplus has to go to education, Becotte noted.

There is no magic number for the amount of mental health support, additional teachers, educational assistants and other professional supports that are needed for schools in the province, Becotte said. She said she just wants to see the plan the Ministry of Education has put forward put into action in schools.

“We don’t see that there are enough resources in order to actualize those plans,” she said. “We just want the students of Saskatchewan to be supported, and those students have diverse needs.”

Becotte said the STF is always advocating for student resources and said those conversations will continue as her organization works to ensure students in the province get a “great educational experience.”

With files from 650 CKOM’s Lara Fominoff