"We're pleased to provide school divisions with nearly $21 million in additional funding for students returning to school this fall," Education Minister Dustin Duncan said. "Our appreciation goes out to our teachers, education support staff and families whose hard work and creativity supported these students throughout the past year."
The Interim Provincial Education Plan will focus on three key priorities:
• Additional reading supports for Grade 1 to 5 students. Reading data will be collected from students in Grades 1 to 5. This will allow educational professionals to create specialized reading plans where needed to meet students at their individual skill levels.
• Supportive learning opportunities for students whose education may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. High school students will be able to obtain credits through a variety of educational avenues, such as classes offered out of grade order, special project credits and online classes.
• Mental health supports for students and staff as they return from a challenging year. This includes nearly $600,000, provided in the 2021-22 budget, to support initiatives related to bullying prevention and promotion of positive mental health and student safety. It also encompasses nearly $500,000 committed by the Government of Saskatchewan for Mental Health First Aid training to school divisions.
Using these three priorities, school divisions and participating First Nations education authorities will build their own plans in order to meet the unique needs of their students and schools.
