Improving education for the next generation

February was “I Love to Read” month and I once again had the pleasure of reading at a number of schools throughout the Concordia community. Everywhere I visited, children were engaged and eager to learn. I am continually impressed by how knowledgeable they are about issues and current events in our community and it gives me hope for the future of our province.

I Love to Read month has also been a great opportunity to meet with teachers, administrators and support staff in-person, especially as the pandemic had limited our gatherings. Educators repeatedly highlighted that they are being asked to do more with less and are struggling to provide quality education despite chronic underfunding from the provincial government. Class sizes have continued to grow and I’ve been concerned by the number of students in some of the classes I’ve read to.

Large class sizes are a direct result of the Progressive Conservative government’s choice to cut funding for education, year after year. The PCs have refused to increase funding to keep up with inflation or increased enrollment, leaving schools with less dollars to do more. The government has now announced a one-time increase to the school-funding formula for the upcoming school year, but this amount still doesn’t cover the shortfall that has accumulated and is not a long-term solution. Manitoban educators and parents are still left wondering how education will be sustainably funded in the future.

Teachers have also been telling me about the importance of nutrition as a foundational element to good educational outcomes. It’s no surprise that students’ ability to learn is hampered if they’re going to school hungry. However, the PCs have refused to implement a universal nutrition program that would make sure kids are not going hungry at school, despite the NDP caucus and community advocates repeatedly calling for one.

It’s vital that we listen to the concerns of our educators, parents and students and work with them to improve education in our province. I’m proud to be part of an NDP team in the legislature that has prioritized education and stood up to harmful legislation like Bill 64. We will continue to listen to teachers and stand up for education in Manitoba.

If you would like to share your thoughts on how we can invest in a better Manitoba, I can be reached at 204-654-1857 or matt.wiebe@yourmanitoba.ca

Matt Wiebe
Concordia constituency report

Matt Wiebe is the NDP MLA for Concordia.

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