Providing Saskatchewan students with the best education possible is a priority of our government, and our provincial budget reflects this priority.
Last year we introduced the largest education budget in Saskatchewan’s history, which includes the largest-ever operating grant for school divisions. Budget 2019-20 invested $1.9 billion for our schools, teachers and student supports.
Your Saskatchewan Party government has increased K-12 operating funding by 34 per cent compared to enrolment growth of 13 per cent. We’ve also added more than 1,100 teachers and support staff as well as 46 brand-new or replacement schools.
The months ahead will be exciting for our local school divisions in Moose Jaw as planning continues for a new joint-use school. The facility, which will be built on South Hill, was announced as part of this year’s provincial budget. Once complete, it will serve as a replacement for Empire, Westmount, St. Mary and Sacred Heart Schools.
Both Prairie South and Holy Trinity School Divisions are committed to continue updating and consulting with parents and stakeholders through all phases of this exciting project for our community. You can visit their websites for updates.
A committee of education stakeholders, parents and business professionals is going to be meeting to develop recommendations on future development of curriculum and high school graduation requirements in Saskatchewan. The committee includes representatives from teachers, school divisions, parents, post-secondary institutions, chambers of commerce, the workforce, and the Ministry of Education.
It is important that we hear from Saskatchewan parents, educators, post-secondary institutions and the business community about what students need to learn in the classroom in order to be successful. By keeping our curriculum up to date, we’re ensuring that our children will be well-equipped to succeed in their future.
Our province will continue to undertake the most aggressive youth retention plan in Canada, while exploring new incentives to keep life affordable for young people and create more opportunities for them to realize their future right here at home.
With Saskatchewan’s Graduate Retention Program, post-secondary grads who remain and work in Saskatchewan after graduation are eligible for up to $20,000 in tax credits. To date, nearly 71,000 young people have claimed this tax credit.
Our government will continue look at ways to retain more young people. As part of Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan for The Next Decade of Growth, we will focus on the development, retention and attraction of highly skilled and entrepreneurial talent.
Over the next decade Saskatchewan will develop:
An agile and integrated education and training system that is responsive to the economic opportunities for businesses and prepares people for careers in Saskatchewan.
People with the skills experience and pathways to realize their potential and build their careers in Saskatchewan.
Workplaces that help develop the potential of a diverse population that requires labour market supports to succeed.
To learn more about Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan for The Next Decade, I encourage you to visit saskgrowthplan.ca.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
