March 29, 2010

ROSETOWN-The provincial budget tabled last Wednesday gives Sun West School Division $17,000 more in funding than last year.

"Seventeen thousand dollars in a $53 million budget really amounts to nothing," said Lorne Ulven, chairman of Sun West School Division's board of education.
In its budget, the provincial government announced an overall funding increase of $33 million, or 2.1 per cent for Saskatchewan school divisions.

After it received its numbers from the province, Sun West administration crunched the numbers Thursday and found that the provincial budget removed $316,800 from the Sun West budget because Sun West's enrolment declined in 2009-2010 by 92 students compared to its enrolment of 2008-2009.

"The provincial budget did not take into account the greater costs of delivering education to rural school divisions," Ulven said.

The provincial budget provided an inflationary increase of 1.16 per cent to all divisions, but due to accompanying reductions in funding, Sun West will see $17,000 more than last year.

"It does not keep up with inflation, which means that it is effectively a reduction in funding. The provincial budget reduces funding for K to 12 education in Sun West and the provincial government's decision to underfund education here will impact students," Ulven said.

The leaderonline is a division of The Davidson Leader, Davidson, Saskatchewan, Canada.