Saskatchewan Government Challenges Claims of School Staffing Cuts

The Saskatchewan government has responded to claims from the opposition regarding school staffing, asserting that reported figures do not accurately portray the overall educational staffing landscape in the province. The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP) alleges that the Ministry of Education’s 2025–26 Education Sector Staffing Profile indicates a reduction of 26 classroom teachers and 47 educational assistants compared to the previous year. This data also reveals an increase in student enrollment, with nearly 1,000 additional middle years students and almost 1,000 more secondary school students.

NDP education critic Matt Love emphasized the implications of these staffing changes during a news conference on Wednesday. He stated, “We’re calling on this government to stop shortchanging our schools and to start investing in the future of every child, in every community across Saskatchewan. Our kids only get one shot at childhood, and we need to make sure that we get it right.”

Parents Tanner Henry and Celine Carlson, whose nine-year-old daughter has autism and is non-verbal, expressed their concerns about the worsening staffing challenges. “At the start of this year, it was probably one to three times a week that I was getting called to come and pick her up and bring her home, because they simply just can’t meet her needs,” Henry told CTV News.

Carlson added that the lack of adequate education is affecting their daughter’s well-being. “They’re just kind of trying to deal with her, and that’s not fair to them and that’s not fair to her. We want her to thrive and because she doesn’t have those supports, she’s not thriving.”

In contrast, the Ministry of Education argues that the opposition’s focus on classroom teachers and educational assistants fails to reflect the comprehensive staffing levels and support measures available in schools. According to the ministry, the 2025–26 staffing profile indicates a province-wide increase of 19 students, alongside a net increase of 651.3 full-time equivalent (FTE) educators year-over-year. This figure encompasses personnel hired by school divisions and the Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre.

The ministry further clarified that even after excluding classroom complexity teachers, there was still a net increase of 157.3 FTE educators. It emphasized that staffing decisions are made at the local level and that hiring encompasses a range of roles beyond classroom teachers, which may lead to misunderstandings.

“Boards of education across Saskatchewan have the authority to hire staff who will deliver appropriate programs based on the needs of their students,” the ministry stated, mentioning that these hires might include counsellors, administrators, psychologists, and speech-language pathologists.

The government maintains that it prioritizes student success and provides flexibility to school divisions. Meanwhile, the opposition continues to advocate for increased direct classroom staffing to address the rising demands of student enrollment and support needs.