Latest news with #AlexPeters
CTV News
3 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Burnaby teachers urging province to provide more funding; district facing $4.2M budget shortfall
The Burnaby Teachers' Association is sounding the alarm on the need for more funding, as the school district cuts band programs, high school counsellors and custodian positions due to a $4.2-million budget shortfall. Alex Peters, president of the association, says daytime custodial positions at elementary schools will now move to an on-call basis only, and she is concerned for students' safety. 'So, there's going to be broken glass from broken windows. It could be things like sharps on the playground, those sorts of things,' explains Peters. She says the province has failed to deliver on its promise to provide a mental health counsellor in every school, and she is worried for the wellbeing of teachers. 'The stress of teachers knowing they're not meeting the needs of the students in their class, they don't have the ability to provide what they know that their students need, that's just terrible,' Peters says. The cuts also include three full-time counsellors in secondary schools, the Grade 7 brand program and a phasing out of the Mandarin language arts program. Kristin Schnider, chair of the Burnaby School Board, says there is only so much the board can do without more provincial funding. Schnider says population growth has led to overcrowding in schools, which is what the board's budget has been forced to address. 'Over the last seven years, we've spent $75 million on portables, dollars that could have been spent in the classroom supporting teachers, but most importantly supporting kids,' says Schnider. Education Minister Lisa Beare declined an interview request from CTV News. In a statement, she said the government is 'committed to prioritizing education.' 'Next year, we're projecting the highest education funding ever – over $8.2 billion. That's almost 60 per cent more since 2017,' says Beare. 'There's no question we are facing significant pressure – from global labour shortages, political and economic uncertainty to tariff threats.' Schnider says the increase in funding since 2017 doesn't go far enough to address previous years' rapid inflation and the growing needs of the district. 'While I appreciate the efforts of the current government, we really need to step it up to increase the amount that the provincial government allocates to education,' says Schnider. It's a concern being felt across districts. A survey from the B.C. Teachers' Federation found one in six teachers says their school has no mental health counsellor and educators are burning out. 'Lots of teachers in their first five years are leaving their profession because it's just such a hard environment,' says Peters.
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Welsh Government's £36m reserves announcement slammed 'You really couldn't make it up'
Welsh Government's £36m reserves announcement slammed 'You really couldn't make it up' Wales Online readers have been discussing the recent announcement by the Welsh Government concerning their plans for £36 million in reserves Wales' finance minister Mr Drakeford was speaking in the Senedd's finance committee (Image: Senedd TV ) Wales Online readers have been voicing their opinions on the recent revelation from the Welsh Government regarding the allocation of £36 million from reserves. The Welsh Government has announced it will utilise £36m from its reserves to address a shortfall resulting from a tax alteration by the UK Government. The change by the UK Labour government has seen an increase in the contribution employers must make towards National Insurance. Previously, businesses were charged a 13.8% rate on employees' earnings over £9,100 annually, but this has risen to 15% on wages above £5,000. Concurrently, the employment allowance – the sum employers can deduct from their NI bill – has gone up from £5,000 to £10,500. While the UK Government anticipates these adjustments will generate £25bn a year, there's been considerable anxiety among charities and businesses about meeting the additional costs. One reader, Alex Peters writes: "If they were really concerned, they wouldn't be wasting millions increasing the size of the Welsh Assembly." Tannerbanc says: "So the public sector is ok to carry on, e.g. expanding the Senedd, no need to review what are the 'essential services' and the private sector can get down to work harder to pay for it, from a man who has only lived in the public sector." Article continues below Morpick comments: "Perhaps the UK Government is getting tired of funding this circus that wastes enormous sums on its madcap ideas." StevenBoyd replies: "Now now, there's nothing 'madcap' about throwing hundreds of millions down the gaping airport hole. It goes to show just how bad Drakeford is at his job. That sum of money could be found by a decent manager tomorrow. Stop funding the Airport, stop any more Welsh language initiatives, like the next round that he himself announced last week, and cancel the WAG expansion." Ykr believes: "He seems to be very calm about all of this, just imagine what he would be like if it was a Tory government in power at Westminster." Middleclasssocialist writes: "As we were promised, the new Labour Government, under Sir Kier, has been far easier to deal with than that Tory Government it replaced and that new "partnership" has helped Wales prosper and thrive. Unlike the Tories, the new Labour Government pick up the phone and listen attentively to what their comrades in Wales think. You can't put a cost on that sort of partnership. £36 million is a drop in the ocean. "As an example, that's only double the cost of what the badly needed, vital, 36 new Senedd Members will cost per year. Also, Caerphilly Council alone, apparently, spent £2.6 million keeping it's libraries open last year. Across Wales, simply closing all of them would cover this £36million easily." Abetterchoice4wales thinks: "When you have built a society dependent upon the state and benefits is it any wonder Wales is the biggest failing economy in Britain." Dyffrynteg says: "With money so hard to come by, possibly the millions wasted on unwanted 20 mph road signs and the millions which will be wasted year after year on an expanded Welsh assembly wasn't such a good idea after all?" Chalky Snr writes: "Quote yet again 'I will provide £36 million' Who the hell does he think he is? The fellow failed NHS Wales cabinet minister who put him there rather than out to pasture is unfortunately for us as much out of her depth as the last two so called first ministers were. Surely Wales deserves better." Lustyboy adds: "You really couldn't make it up. After years of being told that the tories were totally to blame for all of Wales' problems and that Labour in Westminster and Cardiff would provide the platform for a bright future (despite 25 years of devolution administered by labour) What do we find? A Labour government treating with total contempt the Welsh Labour administration. Unbelievable." Grumpygramps says: "Did I miss the point where he also wants the UK tax payer to cough up for the NI increases the Welsh private sector are going to have find? No, thought not." Inreality feels: "Ummm, maybe spending all the UK money on extra senedd expansion was a bad idea!" Styo asks: "Why not look at where we can reduce non-essential 'vanity' expenditure? basically if it isn't curing cancer, emptying bins, building roads, teaching kids or locking crims up, it is being wasted." Article continues below Simoncorkswill believes: "So in fact the Conservatives were obviously giving a great deal of money to Wales, but in an attempt to make them seem as if they were doing the opposite the Labour Welsh government squirrelled away the funds that could have been spent to aid the Welsh people, why is this not a surprise?" Do you think that the Senedd are in the right by helping to pay off some of the funding shortfall? Comment below or HERE to join in the conversation.
