A lot of questions raised after announcement of schools opening in the fall

Saskatchewan’s NDP is raising questions about how kids will return to the classroom in the fall.

Education Minister Gord Wyant announced Tuesday that students and staff will be going back to school starting Sept. 1. Schools closed March 20 to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19, prompting teachers to offer online instruction to students.

The NDP is raising concerns about class sizes, safety measures and a lack of funding for school divisions as facilities prepare to reopen.

“Parents have been working so hard to keep our kids learning with schools closed, and I know that we’re all ready to get back to normal,” NDP education critic Carla Beck said. “But the ‘new normal’ for Saskatchewan schools can’t look like the ‘old normal’ of 50 kids to a classroom and three to a school bus seat.”

Aside from safety measure concerns, Beck stressed there has been a lack of funding for school divisions, and they should not be forced to pay the tab since that should be the Sask. Party’s responsibility.

“We have yet to see who’s going to pay for any increased costs associated with that return to the classroom,” said Beck. “School divisions do not have any additional room in their budget to incur any extra costs.”

Saskatchewan’s teachers ratified a new contract with the provincial government in May.

Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation president Patrick Maze asked the Saskatchewan government to implement meaningful change to ensure student needs are met.

Saskatchewan schools do not publicly report how many kids are in classrooms, but that could be about to change.

“This is a government that refused to commit to addressing class size and composition at the bargaining table,” said Beck. “Instead, they struck a committee. Well, it’s time for that committee to start working overtime on a plan to reduce the crowding in our classrooms.

“(There are) some very real, and some very big questions that remain to be unanswered,” Beck added.