STS Advocacy Committee Report
Helen Sukovieff, Chairperson
At the October 2016 STS meetings, the Advocacy Committee and the STS Executive
dealt with two issues affecting education in Saskatchewan – Social Impact Bonds and
the funding cuts to NORTEP.
Social Impact Bonds
The issue of Social Impact Bonds arose in the Saskatchewan education sector when
the provincial government announced that the Mosaic Company Foundation would be
loaning $1 million to Mother Teresa Middle School in Regina. If 82% of the 88 students
graduate on time, the Government of Saskatchewan will pay the Mosaic Company back
the $1 million plus 1.3 percent annually. The Advocacy Committee is very concerned
about the funding of education. There are three issues: the privatization of education,
the erosion of public education as well as the issue of equity for all students. While not
all students are the same, funding to support them must be distributed fairly and
according to individual needs. As stated in the October 5, 2016 issue of the
Saskatchewan Bulletin, “Social Impact Bonds undermine the public’s responsibility to
properly fund and govern the education system because they allow private industry to
dictate matters that are normally decided by the government and the public.”
The STF VISION states “A strong collective professional voice for Saskatchewan
teachers and quality publicly funded public education for the benefit of all students and
society.” In addition, in their document “Creating and Sustaining Change in Education”
the following is stated “Publicly funded public education provides a shared benefit for all
of society. It should not be commercialized or privatized as this creates inequities in
opportunities for students and teachers.” The STS supports the STF and has informed
them that we have 11,118 members who stand behind these statements of opposition tothe privatization of education in our province.
NORTEP (Northern Teacher Education Program) Funding Cuts
The other issue the Advocacy Committee discussed is that of the decision to cut the
funding from the Government of Saskatchewan for NORTEP. As a group of over 11,000
teachers who have a valued history in public education, we are deeply grieved by the
provincial government's decision to discontinue funding for NORTEP. We see great
value in the continuance of this program because we believe in:
a) the value of the cultural richness that Northern trained teachers foster in Northern
communities,
b) the continuity that resident teachers bring to students' lives and community futures,
c) the leadership that NORTEP teachers provide to Northern communities,
d) the role models that teachers provide for students and communities, and we believe
that,
e) NORTEP teachers are well trained and are quality teachers.
We recognize the commitment of STF teachers who developed, provided instructors to,
and promoted the NORTEP program.
The STS urges the STF to press the provincial government to reverse its decision
regarding funding for NORTEP.
Because the STF Councillor Conference was held following the STS meetings, there
was an opportunity for STS to inform the councillors present that we support their efforts
on these issues and that we want to work together with them to keep public education
sustainable in Saskatchewan.
Helen Sukovieff, Chairperson
At the October 2016 STS meetings, the Advocacy Committee and the STS Executive
dealt with two issues affecting education in Saskatchewan – Social Impact Bonds and
the funding cuts to NORTEP.
Social Impact Bonds
The issue of Social Impact Bonds arose in the Saskatchewan education sector when
the provincial government announced that the Mosaic Company Foundation would be
loaning $1 million to Mother Teresa Middle School in Regina. If 82% of the 88 students
graduate on time, the Government of Saskatchewan will pay the Mosaic Company back
the $1 million plus 1.3 percent annually. The Advocacy Committee is very concerned
about the funding of education. There are three issues: the privatization of education,
the erosion of public education as well as the issue of equity for all students. While not
all students are the same, funding to support them must be distributed fairly and
according to individual needs. As stated in the October 5, 2016 issue of the
Saskatchewan Bulletin, “Social Impact Bonds undermine the public’s responsibility to
properly fund and govern the education system because they allow private industry to
dictate matters that are normally decided by the government and the public.”
The STF VISION states “A strong collective professional voice for Saskatchewan
teachers and quality publicly funded public education for the benefit of all students and
society.” In addition, in their document “Creating and Sustaining Change in Education”
the following is stated “Publicly funded public education provides a shared benefit for all
of society. It should not be commercialized or privatized as this creates inequities in
opportunities for students and teachers.” The STS supports the STF and has informed
them that we have 11,118 members who stand behind these statements of opposition tothe privatization of education in our province.
NORTEP (Northern Teacher Education Program) Funding Cuts
The other issue the Advocacy Committee discussed is that of the decision to cut the
funding from the Government of Saskatchewan for NORTEP. As a group of over 11,000
teachers who have a valued history in public education, we are deeply grieved by the
provincial government's decision to discontinue funding for NORTEP. We see great
value in the continuance of this program because we believe in:
a) the value of the cultural richness that Northern trained teachers foster in Northern
communities,
b) the continuity that resident teachers bring to students' lives and community futures,
c) the leadership that NORTEP teachers provide to Northern communities,
d) the role models that teachers provide for students and communities, and we believe
that,
e) NORTEP teachers are well trained and are quality teachers.
We recognize the commitment of STF teachers who developed, provided instructors to,
and promoted the NORTEP program.
The STS urges the STF to press the provincial government to reverse its decision
regarding funding for NORTEP.
Because the STF Councillor Conference was held following the STS meetings, there
was an opportunity for STS to inform the councillors present that we support their efforts
on these issues and that we want to work together with them to keep public education
sustainable in Saskatchewan.