Sask. universities join teachers' federation in calls for sustainable education funding

Representatives from Saskatchewan's largest post secondary institutions joined together to voice their concerns about the current state of education in the province.

Representatives from Saskatchewan’s largest post secondary institutions joined together to voice their concerns about the current state of education in the province.

Faculty members from the University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Polytechnic held a joint news conference on Monday with Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) President Samantha Becotte.

In the meeting, the three organizations pledged their support for the STF’s calls for sustainable and predictable funding from the provincial government.

The months long disagreement between teachers and the province has centered on including measures to address classroom size and complexity issues within a provincial collective agreement.

The post secondary delegates said they recognize the fact that a lack of funding and concern for primary education eventually bleeds into the post-secondary system.

“Their students are, and will be, our students,” USask’s Faculty Association Chairperson Geraldine Balzer said in a news release. “We all thrive only with stable and adequate public funding. The chronic lack of priority for education puts Saskatchewan kids at a disadvantage, from elementary school to post-secondary institutions, and to the workforce both in this province and on the world stage.”

“We’re seeing a vast failure of imagination from this government,” U of R Faculty Association President Britt Hall added. “Saskatchewan could have the world’s best public education system – with meaningful investments at every level – that not only support the students we have but also attract learners from across the world to study, research and contribute here.”