Education funding a top priority for some Manitobans in upcoming election

When Jennifer Karpenko thinks about key issues in Manitoba's upcoming provincial election, she says education is at the forefront.

Karpenko is on maternity leave from her job as a teacher, and heroldest daughter just started kindergarten.

She wants to see more funding targeted at ensuring smaller class sizes and more support staff in schools "helping our kids grow."

"Certainly, I want to know that my daughters are in a place where they get a lot of attention," Karpenko said. "And even, I feel like, from the greatest teachers out there, and there's so many, that's just not happening with such large class sizes."

Education is also front of mind for Brent Johnson.

A father of two and member of the parent council at his children's school in the Winnipeg School Division, Johnson said he's concerned that insufficient funding for public education puts schools in tight spots.

"Schools are having to make difficult decisions to reprioritize things to kind ofmake patchwork solutions on their own," Johnson said.

At his children's kindergarten to Grade 8 school, for example, he said there's no dedicated librarian.

"It's sad because my kids love the library," he said. "They do have staff in the library thankfully, and those staff care and do the best that they can, but it's not the same as having a librarian."

The Winnipeg School Divisionhasthree full-time dedicated librarians in schools, according to a spokesperson. There are 78 schools in that division.

Parental rights issue raised

Johnson is also concerned by apledge made by theProgressive Conservatives last month to expand parental rights if they're re-elected.

The PCs have listed four new rights they'd be looking at, including the right to be informed about curriculum and the right to be involved in addressing bullying and other behavioural changes.

PC Leader Heather Stefanson said the process would involve consultation about rules around parents being informed if students choose to use different names or pronouns at school, even if the child doesn't want that shared.

"I just think it's so important, when thinking about education, that we be inclusive and kind and caring, and I see those things fading a little bit, unfortunately, with this parental rights movement," Johnson said. "I don't think its intentions are anything that is good and positive, and that's where we need to steer the ship, is in positivity, not negativity."

Johnson noted parents can already look at the curriculum and have the ability to contact teachers and principals with any concerns or questions they might have.

• Read a list of the parties' positions, including on education, in CBC's promise tracker

Parties respond

CBC asked the ManitobaNDP, PCs and Liberalsif there's anything their parties would do specifically to address concerns about education funding.

Manitoba NDP spokesperson Rebecca Widdicombe said the party "has committed to stable and predictable funding for our schools that keeps up with enrolment and students' needs." Ifelected, the NDPhas pledged toreduce class sizes for the youngest learners and start a nutrition program in every school.

Parents say education promises top priority when casting their ballot

12 months ago

Duration 2:29

Manitoba elects its next premier on Tuesday and parents say education is a key election issue for them. Some say they don't think it's being talked about enough by provincial parties.

Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said in a statement that "Manitoba Liberals are the only party who have said we would ensure stable long-term funding for education."

PC spokesperson Shannon Martin pointed to the the current government's pledge in February of $100.2 million in new funding for kindergarten to Grade 12 schools, or a 6.1 per cent increase over the previous year. He said thePC government iscommitted to building new schools.

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Funding not keeping up, prof says

Melanie Janzen, a professor in the department of curriculum, teaching and learning at the faculty of education at the University of Manitoba, said funding has not kept up with the needs and the public school system is seeing the effects.

She pointedto larger class sizes, fewer experts and professionals inschools, reductions in programming and the poor quality of some buildings as examples.

"I would say that we're seeing quite a negative effect in the ways in which our public schools are able to operate because of the lack of funding," she said.

Janzen said she'd like to see all parties and the next provincial government take investment in public schooling seriously not only because of how public education reducesinequalities, improveswellbeing and chances for employment and higher education, but also because she sees it as an investment in democracy.

"It's a way in which students can learn about the curriculum and our shared understanding of knowledge," she said.

"It's the ways in which students can exist in complex and different places with different people with differing opinions," Janzen said."So unless we really nurture that sort of sense of public education, we're really going to, I think, struggle as a democratic society. That is where democracy is nurtured."