Alberta NDP leadership candidate Kathleen Ganley is pledging to fund classrooms, build schools and take political interference out of Alberta’s curriculum.
“Alberta has the lowest per-student funding in the country — the UCP should be embarrassed,” Ganley said. “My education plan is to measure both class size and complexity and make sure we’re funding for both. We would restore class-size reporting and set standards to ensure students are getting the education they deserve.
“I would also build desperately needed schools in growing communities across the province and modernize schools that have suffered over years of UCP neglect. I also believe families deserve clear timelines on when promised schools will be built in their communities.
“I would take the politics out of the curriculum by ensuring experts are developing it and I establish clear timelines for the curriculum to be reviewed and renewed. Classroom teachers would have a major role in this work.”
Ganley has previously committed to a universal school nutrition program because kids can’t learn when they’re hungry.
She’s also committed to hire as many education support workers as are needed to deal with classroom complexity and to ensure those workers have decent working conditions and fair wages. Ganley said she would increase funding for student mental health supports in schools as well.
On Thursday, Ganley also wrote to the Alberta Teachers' Association to tell them she would give teachers back control of their pensions.
“Right now, the only reason our kids are continuing to succeed despite the UCP’s chronic underfunding is because teachers and school staff are holding the system together with their dedicated efforts,” Ganley said.
“Public education means that each student gets the opportunity to succeed — this is critical to our collective future.”