Thank Manitoba’s teachers by investing in students

Manitoba’s students are settling into a new school year. Whether you graduated in 1986 or 2006, today’s classrooms look very different from the ones you remember.

Students reflect the changing makeup of our communities — differences in social, emotional, physical and cognitive abilities and socioeconomic stresses are all increasingly present and adding to the complexity of our classrooms.

Meeting these differing individual needs is no easy feat. It requires manageable class sizes, school counsellors, social workers, specialized resource teachers and investment in the systems that can help students thrive. But when those supports aren’t available, students’ needs don’t disappear. Increasingly, it falls to classroom teachers to try to fill the gaps.

When I started working as a teacher more than 30 years ago, we had budgets for resources when we needed them. Today, the needs of students have diversified and increased, but the funding for our public schools is failing to meet them.

All children in Manitoba deserve the support they need to reach their full potential. Personalized interventions, literacy and numeracy support, and mental health counsellors can all transform the way a student learns, even their future opportunities after graduating high school.

If we truly want every student to thrive, we must meet students’ individual needs instead of expecting one teacher to do it all. Teachers are already coping with larger class sizes, increased physical violence from students, and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students. Nearly half (48 per cent) of Manitoba teachers now report having more than six students with complex needs in their classroom, compared with 8.1 per cent in 2017 and 23 per cent in 2024.

Current underfunding of public education means that all students are missing out on the quality education they deserve, not just those students who need additional support.

Teachers across the province tell me they are doing everything they can, but the one-on-one time that can change a student’s life is increasingly scarce. Many work late to adapt lessons for different scenarios and learning needs; others pay for resources out of their own pockets because their schools cannot afford them. One social worker in the public education system told me their waiting list exceeds 200 students.

Crowded classrooms, inadequate resources, and mental health challenges — these are all issues that are accumulating daily as a result of the chronic underfunding of our public schools. Our public schools are in crisis, and Manitoba’s students are paying the price.

Funding public education is always a choice, even when governments face many urgent demands on public dollars. By overlooking public schools now, the Manitoba government risks weakening the very social systems Manitobans will rely on in the future. Simply put, the government is missing the big picture,

Funding health care, for example, cannot come without a sustained investment in public education that would support the future of our health-care system. Think of how many students have the potential to become future doctors, nurses, and health-care professionals if only given the chance. Or current patients who, had they received earlier intervention, may not have needed mental-health treatment later in life.

The education we receive at school sets us up for the rest of our lives. It impacts every aspect of our future, including our career prospects, health and wellness, and understanding of the world around us.

When we care for our youth with strong public education, we strengthen all our social systems for the future.

Today, Oct. 5, is World Teachers’ Day — a day to express gratitude for the educators who support our children and celebrate their work. The best way to thank teachers? Ask your representatives to make sure our educators have the resources they need to do their jobs.

As president of the union representing more than 17,000 educators across Manitoba, I know that teachers have their students’ best interests at heart. Despite all the challenges they’re facing, teachers constantly step up to compensate for the severe underfunding of our schools. They love supporting students and want to see them thrive. But they need our help to do so.

It’s time for the Manitoba government to understand just how desperately our public schools need investment. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, teacher or just know someone who has a child in a public school, you can play your part in creating the change we want to see. Sharing your own experiences will help our leaders understand that this isn’t an issue that’s going away, but a widespread crisis impacting every public school in Manitoba.

This is World Teachers’ Day, so thank a teacher — but don’t stop there. Tell the Manitoba government to ensure public schools have the staffing, support, and resources students need. Teachers show up for their students every day. Their dedication shouldn’t have to make up for gaps in our public education system.

Lillian Klausen is president of the Manitoba Teachers Society.