The Manitoba government continues its commitment to providing students with a quality education by increasing funding to Manitoba schools by an additional $24.4 million or two per cent, the rate of economic growth. This announcement was made by Education and Advanced Learning Minister James Allum.
“As we have seen around the world and right here in Canada, economic uncertainty has led many jurisdictions to cut or freeze funding for education. The opposition is calling for the same cuts here in Manitoba,” said Minister Allum. “Our government will not repeat the mistakes of the previous government which cut education funding, leading to overcrowding and layoffs for more than 700 teachers. Instead, we are finding efficiencies and administrative savings across government departments that allow us to keep investing in what matters most.”
Total funding for public education announced today will increase to $1.2403 billion from $1.2159 billion. This means overall funding has increased $469.3 million or 60.9 per cent since 1999.
Targeted funding for three new initiatives will provide students more opportunities to succeed, advance to higher learning and find good jobs here in Manitoba, the minister said. They are:
- new targeted funding to help students get back to basic math, science and reading skills so they can have greater academic success in all areas;
- new targeted funding to help students explore career opportunities and gain valuable skills training while still in high school, preparing them for post-secondary education and good jobs; and
- additional funding to provide students with state- of- the-art equipment to learn the high demand skills they need to get good jobs in Manitoba’s growing economy.
The minister noted these new programs are focused on education quality by providing targeted funding to help struggling students succeed and advanced students excel while at the same time advancing a critical part of the government’s skill strategy.
“We continue to work with school divisions to ensure they have the financial support they need to provide their students the best education possible,” said the minister. “We are able maintain this strong commitment to education because we have found responsible ways to reduce administrative spending while keeping life affordable for families. I am urging school divisions to do the same by exercising restraint and managing expenditures in their budgets, which will in turn keep property taxes low for Manitoba families.”
