Lək̓ʔəŋən [LEKWUNGEN] TERRITORY / VICTORIA, B.C. — Leader of the BC Greens and candidate for Saanich North and the Islands, Emily Lowan, was joined by BC Greens candidate for Victoria-Swan Lake Carolyn Howe to announce the BC Greens’ plan to fully fund B.C.’s public schools.
“Every parent in this province knows the feeling of sending their kid off in the morning and hoping that their child gets all the support they need,” said Lowan. “But too many families are getting the call that their child can’t stay the full day because there’s no education assistant today. This is a fundamental failure of successive governments to deliver the excellence in education our children deserve.” B.C. ranks second to last among Canadian provinces in per-pupil funding. School districts received approximately $994.8M for inclusive education but needed an additional $316.8M to cover actual costs—a shortfall that has persisted for at least 18 years.
“No child should have to try to learn when they’re hungry. No child should struggle without a trusted counsellor to talk to. We know that when students have the support they need, they can actually learn and thrive, but this government is failing our children,” said Lowan. “We’ll close the inclusive education funding gap, put a counsellor within reach of every student, and make sure every child starts the day with a healthy meal and the supplies they need to learn.”
“I have felt the stress and worry all teachers feel when the kids in front of them aren’t getting the help they need to succeed in school,” said Howe. “Teachers and Education Assistants are burning out trying to fill the gaps when there just isn’t enough support to go around. I am excited to be part of a platform that acknowledges and addresses the funding gap in BC schools, and commits to prioritizing public dollars for public education. All BC kids deserve to learn in seismically safe and functioning facilities where they get the support and resources they need to meet their potential. Our kids truly are the future, and they deserve schools where they feel safe and cared for, that ignite their curiosity and love of learning.”
The BC Greens will:
● Close the inclusive education funding gap with a stable, needs-based funding model for school districts.
● Increase the counsellor-to-student ratio to one counsellor for every 250 students.
● Deliver a universal school food program and a school supplies program, so every student gets fed and has what they need to learn.
● Build a capital plan to ensure school buildings meet safety, functionality and climate resilience standards.
Click here to read our Education Policy Brief.
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Media contact
Prym Goodacre, Media & Campaigns Officer
+778 650 0597
newsroom@bcgreens.ca