Manitoba Teachers’ Society says education must be focus of 2023 election

Manitoba’s future is in the hands of the youth and as voters prepare to go to the polls in less than a month, the group that represents teachers in classrooms across the province says education needs to be an issue that takes focus this election.

Nathan Martindale, president of the 16,000-member Manitoba Teachers’ Society, says overcrowded classrooms, unsupported students, and unsafe conditions, all rooted in underfunding, are some of the issues that need to be addressed by those who form government.

“Public education is a big deal in Manitoba,” said Martindale.

“It’s not just about the adults who are voting in the here and now, but it’s also about the future. The students — the children — who will grow up within the school system and become citizens and adults here in Manitoba. So the decisions we as voters make at the ballot box, don’t just affect the next four years, they affect the 14 — or even 40 years.”

Martindale says MTS is encouraging its members and the public to vote and to think about their own experiences with the system as they do so.

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“Public education matters, and the No. 1 issue that we want them to keep in mind when they’re voting is the real day-to-day struggles they’re experiencing in their classrooms,” said Martindale.

Nello Altomare, who is running to keep his seat in the Transcona Electoral Division says right now, classrooms are overcrowded and kids don’t have the support they need following the pandemic. He said if elected, the NDP would try to be a “partner” with school divisions, providing stable funding, something he says they don’t currently have with the PCs.

“Education is always a key election issue,” said Altomare.

“Right now, we need to ensure schools are funded properly. We don’t have that in place, as a matter of fact, they’ve endured seven years of PC underfunding, and it is really impacting schools.”

Liberal Party Leader Dougald Lamont also pointed to underfunding as a major issue his party would address, saying they’d also take additional assessment steps to ensure better student outcomes.

“If we’re not investing in our children, we’re not investing in our future,” said Lamont.

“Making sure that we’re screening every single kid, just to say: ‘Basic tests: can you read? Is your eyesight okay? Is your hearing okay?’ and then checking for other issues. That means we can actually respond and make sure we’re providing the education they need. Huge difference, and it’s not happening right now. There are kids that spend years — the parents know there’s a learning disability — and it can be years until it’s diagnosed.”

In a statement, the PCs highlighted how this year as government, it invested $100 million to support education in Manitoba, which they say is the largest boost to funding in 40 years, while boasting its previously announced plans to build and expand more schools, saying further details about its platform will be released as the election approaches on Oct. 3.