Not investing in education today will have consequences in future

By Lethbridge Herald on October 7, 2025.

Editor

When a government curtails funding for education, it is a sure sign that they have lost their minds . Anyone with a sound intellect understands that progress in any society/ nation depends on the intrinsic power of its erudite minds. Thought precedes action; therefore, we need a thoughtful, skilled populace whose decision-making capabilities are underpinned by authentic knowledge.

Alberta’s education system has been crippled by perpetual cutbacks in funding of school divisions. The disastrous consequence have been large class sizes, fewer teachers and a very inadequate number of educational assistants. All students, especially those with special needs, have been suffering. These children require support in the classroom to help them understand and study the curriculum. They need one-to-one support.

Right now, due to cutbacks in funding, most classrooms do not have even one EA. Sometimes one EA is tackling more than one classroom in a school. In absence of an EA ,the job of helping special needs children falls in the lap of teachers who are already overwhelmed by 35-40 students .

Special needs children are especially vulnerable. Without help, they may lose interest in frustration and drop out of school. They may turn to drugs and criminal behaviour. Trying to save one dollar now may cost our society seven dollars later, as well as heartache for parents .

Premier Smith has doled out millions of dollars to private schools. She would rather help the rich people who can afford to send their children to private schools, rather than support the bleeding public school system.

Teachers are sacrificing their incomes for a just cause. They are not enjoying the strike; far from it, they are suffering financially and emotionally. They are asking for more schools,  thousands of teachers and more thousands of EAs, plus better pay .

It has come to my attention that Premier Smith has spent $280,000 on carpet for her office. Her ignorance regarding the cracks in the education system in Alberta is resulting in ruining the future of our children as well as future of our nation. 

She obviously has not read Eliza Cook’s wise words: “Better to build schoolrooms for the boy than cells and gibbets for the man.”

Premier Smith is showing a profound lack of wisdom and foresight.

Ramma Sawhney

Lethbridge