UCP’S LACK OF SCHOOL FUNDING PUSHES PARENTS INTO DIFFICULT DECISION

EDMONTON – Parents of students attending Catholic schools in Edmonton were told they have to make the tough decision between online learning or in-person learning for the remainder of the school year. 

Earlier in the school year, a quartermester plan gave families four opportunities within the year to choose between their preferred learning option. That decision has since been taken away as the Edmonton division is facing a shortage of qualified Catholic teachers and other resources due to funding cuts by the UCP.

“I know a lot of parents don’t feel ready to make a decision for the remainder of the school year this early.” said NDP Official Opposition Critic for Education, Sarah Hoffman. “If the UCP funded education properly so school divisions could staff up properly, and if planning and funding had rolled out in July when our plan was released we wouldn’t be in this position.

“Because of Jason Kenney, 20,000 educational workers lost their jobs in the spring. The UCP haven’t committed one dollar toward staffing for a safer school reopening, let alone to undo the cuts they made at the onset of the pandemic.”