The Manitoba government is providing public schools throughout the province with $1.1 billion in combined education funding this year.
Education Minister Nancy Allan made the announcement Thursday, committing an increase of 2.7 percent, or $30 million, to school divisions.
Watch:
When broken down, the funding will be used to provide $1 million for English classes as an additional language, $50,000 for the Intensive Newcomer Support Grant and $303,700 for the Early Childhood Development Initiative including a new Early Development Instrument Supplement to ensure children are ready to start school.
An additional $75,000 will be used to hire a new Technical Vocational Initiative co-ordinator to serve the Interlake and Central regions and $10.8 million more for equalization funding.
The province has also set aside $690,000 in new funding for stay-in-school initiatives that address drop-outs, and enhance the Inner-City Science Lab, and develop new ways to help more students be successful.
Since 1999, education funding has increased 47.2 percent in the province, making up for a $363.7 million increase.
For the fourth year, the province will make the Tax Incentive Grant (TIG) available for school divisions to increase expenditures while holding the line on property taxes.
Tory leader Hugh McFadyen said the cost of education has risen by 40 percent since 1999, despite Manitoba students are learning less and have among the lowest assessments in Canada for reading, math and science. McFadyen added the province has one of the highest drop-out rates in the country.
ChrisD.ca video/WpgCameraMan
