In a study authored by Derek J. Allison for the Fraser Institute, he knew smaller classes were preferable for parents and teachers, but said they were too costly for governments to maintain. Saskatchewan’s provincial government also argued against establishing caps to the numbers of students in classrooms.
Education Minister Gordon Wyant doesn’t want caps on classroom sizes in Saskatchewan as part of the government’s proposed collective agreement. But since teachers, parents and students are affected by classroom sizes, it seems absurd not to have formal discussions with each of these parties. Instead, the government chose a safer route by forming a committee. They’ve learned well from the federal Liberals and Conservatives. Everyone loves a committee in Ottawa.
This fall, an impasse had been reached with the STF over the government’s plan to implement a 2-3 per cent incremental increase in pay stretching over 2020-2021, along with a onetime payment of $1,500 per teacher. The government was disappointed with the negative responses from the STF, as they assumed they were being generous. But the STF haven’t been impressed by anything offered by the government this autumn. The STF also couldn’t understand the government’s unwillingness to be proactive about classroom sizes.
The provincial government said they were committed to tackling the difficulties of larger classroom sizes in Saskatchewan, but don’t feel the solution to this issue and other problems such as addressing the lack of livable wages for educators will involve discussions with those affected the most in the near future. Instead, the government chose a committee.
According to Allison’s data, he determined there were positive advantages with smaller classes, but much of the information he found to support this argument proved inconclusive. The conservative researcher decided the benefits of smaller classrooms for students were minimal at best. Moreover, Allison said there was evidence of higher achievement scores in schools with larger secondary classes in some cases.
Allison thought governments shouldn’t be worried about larger classrooms and other institutional cuts, as they slashed spending. But what are the genuine outcomes of increasing classroom sizes? Why is the STF so bothered about larger classes?
Until the matter of classroom sizes and reasonable pay increases are resolved, the government’s relationship with the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation, along with the province’s parents and students, will remain problematic. The public’s opinion on education isn’t in the government’s favour. The NDP’s Brighter Future education survey received submissions from over 1,400 people across Saskatchewan. In the survey, 83 per cent of teachers and 77 per cent of Educational Assistants said schools in the province have degraded. Also, 56 per cent of the parents in the survey said learning conditions were weakened under this provincial government.
The Fraser Institute and the provincial government believe growing classrooms aren’t a problem. But the Brighter Future survey said 83 per cent of all respondents supported a cap on classroom sizes in Saskatchewan. So, to most people in the survey, the size of classrooms had a significant bearing on their opinions about the province’s education system.
Why do classroom sizes matter, since the neither provincial government and the Fraser Institute seem troubled about the numbers? In Ontario, Premier Ford wanted to increase class sizes for Grades 4-12. But the teachers in Ontario knew these increases would result in reducing programs and supports for students. Ontario’s teachers also said class sizes in core subjects like math are predicted to keep growing to 40 students and more on average, creating unmanageable environments for teachers and students as budgets shrink.
Moreover, larger classes are disruptive. Student with learning disabilities and other issues fade in the distance. Learning becomes less personable for everyone, especially for the teachers who have to mark an expanding pile of papers and exams every week. But like in Ontario, classroom sizes have increased in Saskatchewan as education budgets have decreased. Teachers, students and parents are stressed, so the provincial government designated a committee.
