By Lasia Kretzel

Election 2016: NDP promise to hire 600 education staff

Mar 21, 2016 | 12:57 PM

Saskatchewan schools would get 600 new teachers and educational assistants if the NDP are elected in April, party leader Cam Broten said.

Speaking in Saskatoon, Broten said his party would hire 300 teachers and 300 assistants over four years and commit to a limit of 20 students per classroom.

Teachers would be sent to areas with the greatest need, with a “large focus” on urban centres with busier classrooms, and kindergarten to Grade 2.

“The plan is to add 75 more EAs and 75 more teachers each year building up to that 300 level and then working with the school boards to have the right schools, the right facilities,” Broten said.

The NDP have also pledged to spend $500,000 on school infrastructure including renovations and additions to current facilities.

Fond Memories

North Stars' 20-year-olds reflect on junior hockey experience: Part 1

2h ago

Trades in Sask.

Skilled trades need not limited to building homes

23h ago

Battlefords Volleyball Club

13U BVC Impact take provincial silver in Warman

Apr 17, 2024

Nine new joint-use elementary schools are slated to open in September. The schools are funded through a private public partnership (P3) funding model. Since the schools’ planning stages, the NDP have criticized the P3 models as more expensive than convention government-funded construction.

Broten said many of the current P3 school contracts will be signed, but in the future his party would look at other ways to cut costs.

The NDP also promised to boost funding to school boards and restore mid-year funding adjustment to fund growth in enrollment that happens after the start of the school year.

Email lkretzel@ckom.com
Twitter @lkretzel