On the same day that students returned to school Tuesday throughout Saskatchewan, the province has announced details of new funding going to classrooms towards their safe return.
Deputy premier Gord Wyant announced Tuesday a commitment of $51 million in “approved funding for classrooms for emergent, one-time expenses associated with a safe return to school.“
This includes $41 million in new provincial funding, as well as another $10 million from remaining school division savings.
The province announced that 46 applications have been approved from school divisions, qualified independent schools and historical high schools for the funding. The money is going towards the following:
• $19.1 million for sanitization, includes 191 new staff;
• $6 million for equipment and furniture;
• $13.2 million for supports for immunocompromised students, including 150 teachers and staff;
• $9.5 million for additional distance learning capacity, including 102 teachers and staff;
• $4 million for technology upgrades.
“As a result of this funding, a total of 443 custodial support, teachers and staff are expected to be hired,” said Wyant at the news conference in Regina. “This is in addition to the more than 200 staff projected to be hired as a result of the increased funding in the 2020-2021 Budget.”
“As a result of our combined funding increases, more than 600 new teachers and staff will be funded this school year. This significant investment will ensure that our school divisions have the resources that they need to respond and plan for emergent items.”
The province also announced plans for stable school division operating funding. Typically, Wyant said, the operating funding is confirmed after enrollments are submitted on Sept. 30. But in recognition of the exceptional circumstances this year, “the Ministry of Education is delaying any consideration for the redistribution of grants once actual enrollments are known until Jan. 29. This enrollment date change will provide school divisions stability regardless of actual enrollments this fall, while minimizing any potential impact on redistribution of division operating funding due to decreases in enrolment.”
Wyant added that following today’s approval of applications, $64 million remains in the COVID-19 contingency fund for education, and the next intake for school division funding applications will be Dec. 1.
The announcement was made on the first day back at school for students in Saskatchewan. It was the first day of in-person classes following the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown in March, with new social-distancing and mask protocols in place for students and staff. The Sept. 8 start date had already been pushed back a week to allow more time for schools to prepare for the safe return of students.
Regarding how long it would take for the additional 440 teachers and staff to be hired, Wyant told reporters the hiring would be “up to school divisions.” The divisions would be getting information that same day in terms of how much funding is being made available to school divisions, and they would be able to embark on that process, he said.
“We will be consulting with school divisions as we go to make sure that those positions are being filled with the funding that is being provided,” said Wyant. He said that would be an ongoing conversation.
When asked if relations with teachers needed to be repaired given how the back to school plan unfolded, Wyant responded that “building relationships with your stakeholders is always very important.” Wyant made clear he believed there was a good working relationship with the teachers.
“Continuing to build relationships, continuing to enhance the relationships with all of our partners in education continues to be a priority of mine in education.”
When asked if COVID-19 outbreaks in schools were inevitable, Wyatt responded that what they are encouraging people to do was “follow the good advice” of the chief medical officer, referring to Dr. Saqib Shahab, and noted the advice on hand-cleaning and social distancing would continue to be important.
Wyant also noted the situation recently involving a teacher at Indian Head Elementary School who has tested positive for COVID-19. Instead of going back to class, that school has proceeded with online learning this week.
Regarding potential outbreaks, Wyant said there “are processes and procedures in place to ensure the safety of our staff and our students should that occur.” He also noted there were ongoing weekly conversations between local Public Health and school divisions and boards to “ensure that we have the best protocols in place to ensure the safety of everyone that’s attending our schools.”
