ADVOCACY
“Enough is Enough”
Thousands Rally Across Saskatchewan, Call on Government to Invest in Students BY STAFF WRITER Over four weekends this fall, Saskatchewan residents gave up their Saturdays to come together and send a consistent message to government: it is time to invest in students and public education. In total, nearly 4,200 individuals joined mini rallies outside the offices of elected officials who have a responsibility to constituents, influence within government and decision-making power for the province’s finances. People of all ages and stages of life gathered to lend their voices and demand action from the government to address chronic underfunding and support for Saskatchewan’s public education system.
“Students, parents, teachers and concerned citizens are telling this government, ‘enough is enough,’” says Samantha Becotte, President of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation. “It has become increasingly clear in our negotiations with the government that the Treasury Board holds the decision-making power, so we are bringing the pressure to them.” In 2012-13, Saskatchewan had the highest per-student total public education spending in the country. Today, Saskatchewan students are funded at some of the lowest levels in Canada, with per-student funding ranking eighth. In 2018-19, funding for K-12 operations represented over 13 percent of the total provincial budget. In 2023-24, it dropped to just 11 percent, even though student enrolment increased by more than 11 percent in the past 10 years.
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