The Saskatchewan School Boards Association’s message to the province is that investing in education should be considered an investment rather than an expense.

A Praxis Consulting report commissioned by the SSBA indicates that for every dollar invested in K to 12 education, more than four dollars is generated in economic activity.

Through operational spending and graduate productivity, school divisions generated more than $8.3-billion in gross economic activity and $5.4-billion in gross domestic product, accounting for seven per cent of the province’s GDP.

SSBA President, Dr. Shawn Davidson, believes that investment in education is a smart use of public dollars, and he hopes its something the government will take into consideration for the next annual budget. “We continue to highlight that education is a good investment, that investment is needed in the education sector and this report now highlights it’s not just a good investment for our future and the skills development of our youth, it’s also a good economic investment for the standpoint of the province.”

The report has been handed over the the Ministry of Education.

Davidson explains that the report was commissioned because the Association has known all along that education is a good investment and that the education sector requires more investment in order to do an adequate job of developing Saskatchewan’s youth.

He notes that classrooms are becoming increasingly complex, the population is growing, school divisions are facing inflationary pressures, and they have had a string of very challenging budgets.

Davidson is hopeful that government will look at this report which highlights more evidence that education is a sound investment.

(CJWW)