GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH

Today's budget provides a 5.2 per cent operating budget increase for education and skills training, for a total record investment of almost $1.2 billion. It reinforces the Province's commitment to build our future by enhancing education facilities and giving young people better places to learn.

"This significant investment demonstrates government's commitment to maintaining and strengthening the quality of our public education system – a very important investment in our future," Learning Minister Judy Junor said. "To this end, the government is establishing an independent commission to review and make recommendations on how K-12 education is funded in Saskatchewan.

The commission will be guided in its review by the following principles:

- Ensuring equity and fairness in the application of the education property tax for all taxpayers;

- Maintaining or improving tax competitiveness in Saskatchewan;

- Ensuring fiscal sustainability for Boards of Education and the province;

- Maintaining or improving autonomy and accountability of Boards of Education; and,

- Improving the fairness and simplicity of taxation in Saskatchewan.

Capital improvements for educational facilities will total $76 million for new schools, and upgrades and enhancements to schools and post-secondary facilities across the province. This includes support to conduct feasibility studies for the construction of an Academic Health Sciences Centre at the University of Saskatchewan and a new Laboratory Building at the University of Regina.

"New technologies are shaping the future of our education system. Building on the success of CommunityNet and Campus Saskatchewan we will invest almost $12 million in on-line learning resources and high-speed internet access," Junor said. "An additional $2 million in Centenary Fund support will fund in-school wiring and cabling in K-12 schools."

Post-Secondary institutions will receive a three per cent operating grant increase to provide a variety of high quality education and training opportunities for more than 80,000 students. A total of $390.1 million in government funding to post secondary institutions includes funds to ensure continued recruitment and retention of health professionals as follows:

- an additional 40 seats in the Northern Nursing Education Program,

- five more students enrolled in the College of Medicine,

- more than 70 spaces at out-of-province institutions for training health technicians,

- 40 spaces for northern residents to upgrade their math and science skills through the Northern Health Science Access Program,

- eight more seats in the respiratory therapy program.

Support for post-secondary students will be enhanced this year. There will be approximately 300 new bursaries and 150 continuing bursaries for medicine, nursing and a variety of allied health disciplines. Approximately $66 million in student loan assistance will be available to help nearly 17,000 students and more than half of that amount will be provided as bursaries and grants and debt reduction measures, helping to ensure Saskatchewan's Student Financial Assistance Program is one of the most generous in the country. Scholarship exemptions that will allow students to retain more of their income will be tripled from $600 to $1,800 and in-study earnings exemptions will increase from $600 to $1,700. Provincial Training Allowance recipients will also benefit from a $1.5 million increase for transportation and utility allowances.

The Centennial Student Employment Program provides summer and part-time jobs throughout the year for high school and post-secondary students returning to school. 700 students this year will have jobs through this program, with government paying 75 per cent of their salaries to a maximum of $3,500.

To help ensure pre-school students are school ready, the government is increasing support to the KidsFirst program by 45 per cent to $13 million. An additional 440 children will be included in the program this year.

"To succeed in today's knowledge-based economy, our K-12 students need more than basic skills and knowledge. More than a three per cent increase over last year, for a total of $510 million, will enable school divisions to provide our young people with the programs and services they need to succeed. This includes 100 per cent of the recently negotiated teachers' collective agreement increases, lightening the financial burden for school boards," Junor said.

School divisions will be supported to implement SchoolPLUS and Community Schools expansion will continue with up to 10 new Community Schools, bringing the provincial total to 98 and up to 15 new pre-kindergarten programs for a provincial total of 100.

Public libraries will receive a three per cent increase to provide learning and recreational opportunities for children, youth and adults. An additional $250,000 increase in public library grants will help improve library services for Aboriginal people, thereby ensuring universal access to library services.

"Our vision is of a high quality education and training system that offers our young people and adults unlimited opportunities to enrich their lives and contribute to the economic, cultural and social growth of our province," Junor said.

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For More Information, Contact:

Jacquie McLean Learning Regina Phone: (306)787-5609