The Manitoba government is continuing to reduce kindergarten to Grade 3 class sizes by providing new support for additional classrooms across the province. This announcement was made by Education and Advanced Learning Minister James Allum.
“By building or renovating these classrooms, we’re helping students get more individual time with their teachers to work on their reading, writing and math skills,” said Minister Allum. “This investment in smaller class sizes will in turn help to build a strong foundation for future learning and help students achieve academic success.”
The minister announced an investment of $11.9 million to build and renovate 18 classrooms in four school divisions across the province. With this new investment, the Manitoba government has committed to building and renovating 65 classrooms at 29 schools to support smaller classes since 2013.
École Lorette Immersion in the Seine River School Division is receiving funding to add three new classrooms.
“On behalf of the Seine River School Division board of trustees, we are thrilled with the province’s announcement to fund the extra classroom space at École Lorette Immersion,” said Christine Roskos, board of trustees, Seine River School Division. “One of our priorities is to enhance early childhood education and research has proven that smaller class sizes, especially in the early years, is critical in optimizing our learning environments. Having more one-on-one teacher/student time so that our teachers can get to know our students, their weaknesses and strengths, will allow our teachers to better meet our students’ needs. These learning gains are both significant and lasting. The government’s initiative to reduce classroom sizes and its subsequent investment today is a very positive step in ensuring our students’ successes now and in the future.”
Other divisions receiving funding are the Hanover and Interlake school divisions, as well as the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine, which is receiving funding for projects in three of its schools.
Funding for smaller classes infrastructure is an addition to the province’s education capital funding, which is building and renovating schools across the province, adding new gyms and renovating and building new science labs, Minister Allum said.
The minister noted that work and planning is currently underway at several schools on gymnasium expansions, as part of the province’s plan to improve gym facilities. Some of the old gymnasiums at these schools will be renovated to provide additional classrooms to support smaller classes in kindergarten to Grade 3, the minister said.
Since 1999, the Manitoba government has invested more than $1 billion in public school capital projects, including 21 new schools and 14 replacement schools, and has completed extensive renovations and additions to dozens of existing schools.
