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HomeNewsSaskatchewan announces $37 million more for safe, sanitized schools across the province

Saskatchewan announces $37 million more for safe, sanitized schools across the province

The Saskatchewan Government says $37.5 million is being given out in order for schools to keep students and staff safe from COVID-19.

The funding will be provided for emerging one-time expenses associated with keeping staff and students safe in schools and will be added on to the $51 million pledged for the same reason back in September.

As part of this second round of funding, 51 applications from school divisions, qualified independent schools and historical high schools were approved.

Breaking the funding down, $5.2 million for sanitization, including for 107 additional staff and $7.2 million for equipment and furniture, including audio amplification systems to help students hear when their teachers are wearing masks. $2.6 million has been given out for technology upgrades, including the purchase of additional computers.

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There has also been a large portion of the money put aside for staffing as well.  Of this, $21 million has been given out province-wide for remote learning, including 279 teachers and staff. This adds on to money earmarked for 252 staff approved in September.

$1.5 million for things like additional supervision requirements and mental health and community liaison supports was also announced on December 10th.

Funding for schools will also not be adjusted for actual enrollment numbers this year. This means the money schools get this year will stay based on their projected enrolments, so they will not see a decrease in their funding.

The money will come from $150 million pledged in the COVID contingency fund for education, which is made up of cash from school divisions, the provincial and federal governments. $26 million is left in that fund, with the next intake for school division funding applications on March 1, 2021.

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