NDP reinforce pledge to hire teachers, criticize Sask. Party 'cuts' to education

Leader Cam Broten isreinforcing his pledgethat, if elected, the Saskatchewan NDP would hire more teachers and educational assistants.

Broten made the announcement on Saturday morning in Saskatoon.

The NDP pointed to the Prairie Spirit School Division's plan to hand out 74 layoff notices to staff in order to balance its $3 million budget deficit in the upcoming school year.

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"As a dad, I want a great education and lots of opportunities for my daughters and what I want for them, I want for all kids in Saskatchewan," Broten said in a press release.

"I can't tolerate cuts to education, because those cuts hurt our kids and undermine Saskatchewan's future. We need significant investments in children and young people not cuts."

The NDP pointed to the third-quarter budget update from February where the forecasted education budget was reduced by $51.3 million.

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Broten also criticized Saskatchewan party Education Minister Don Morgan's response to the Prairie Spirit School Division's announcement where he said he was disappointed the division made it "a political issue."

"Mr. Wall and the Sask. Party want to keep their cuts hidden until after the election," Broten said in the release.

"That's why they're not releasing their budget. It's why they're trying to keep their cuts under wraps. And it's why they're not telling Saskatchewan people the full extent of what's on the chopping block next including all the deep cuts they plan to make to our schools and classrooms."

Broten pledged to hire 300 more teachers and 300 more educational assistants. In the election platform, the NDP said it would cost $8.6 million in 2016-17 and up to $33.2 million in 2019-20.

Broten also reinforced the pledge to improve funding for schools, double funding for Early Childhood Intervention Programs, and increase support for Early Childhood Development Programs by 50 per cent.

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Sask. Party responds

Sask. Party spokesperson Kathy Young said the Prairie Spirit School Division has had year-after-year increases.

She said since 2007, the division has received a 31 per cent increase in operating funding while enrolment has increased 21.9 per cent.

In an email, Young also said when the Sask. Party was elected, overall annual spending on education was $934 million and it is now over $2 billion. She said they've also added more than 600 teachers and 200 student support teachers.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall also responded to Broten's assertions by noting increases, since 2007, in operational funding for schools.

"We have asked the ministry [of education] to find efficiencies within administration," Wall said. "Those requests have not been made in respect of the front line:in other words,the classroom."

Wall said school divisions that have issued layoff notices have, in his view, acted "prematurely."The Prairie Spirit School Division, near Saskatoon, has said it is anticipating job cuts to achieve a balanced budget.

"Their operating funding is up," Wall said, adding that government officials have received letters from teachers questioning spending by the school division.

"They're talking about laying off teachers and the aides, but I haven't seen this school division say they're going to cut back on their own administrative costs," Wall said.

Voters go to the polls on April 4.

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