CALGARY -- More than 12,000 teachers have congregated in Calgary for their annual convention as accomplishing more with less resources has become a focus for educators.
According to the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA), $136 million was cut from education in last fall's provincial budget. The cuts come as enrolment in the province increased by roughly 13,000 students.
The ATA says the funding gap has forced schools boards to dig into their reserves and there are significant concerns there will be additional challenges as a result of the provincial government's next budget that will be released on Feb. 27.
"We need to have (students) prepared to the best of our ability collectively as a society, to take on the work that they are going to do as adults," said Jenny Regal, ATA vice-president. "To be productive, to have jobs, to pay taxes, to contribute to the economy. If you keep shoehorning more and more kids into those classrooms, the chances of all of them being successful diminish incrementally."
The 2020 convention includes more than 600 workshops taking place at 17 venues scattered around the city.
