The Manitoba NDP Government has announced it's increasing public school funding by $25 million for the coming year.

Education Minister Peter Bjornson says he was pleased to make the increased funding announcement Thursday morning adding that raises the Province's total education budget to $1.27 billion dollars.  He notes that's an increase of 64.9% from 1999.  Bjornson adds this is not an expenditure, but rather an investment.

"We've always looked at education as an investment.  I think previous governments might have considered it an expenditure but in my view it's always an investment.  We've always taken the approach that investing early in our youth has always been a priority for us and that's been reflected in every announcement we've made.  When other jurisdictions are looking at cutting funding to education - now is not the time to do that nor is it appropriate to cut funding to education at any level, I would suggest.  Government's have to make tough decisions.  We've had to make tough budget decisions but our tough budget decision includes increase to education funding not cutting it."

The announcement also included $13.1 million earmarked to improve outcomes in math and literacy as well as provide enriched programming for students seeking high-level learning opportunities.  Another $9.8 million in focused funding is to support culturally relevant programming for Indigenous students.  Bjornson explains there's one aspect of the announcement he's particularly excited about which is the First-Year Now initiative.

"Our First-Year Now initiative, which will provide more streamline services for students who are in high school.  [The initiative is for students] who could actually take university and college credit courses while they're in high school and get duel credits for them and makes that transition into their first year of post-secondary education that much easier for them."

Bjornson adds they're also hoping to see an additional 75,000 skilled jobs by the year 2020.  He notes they're doing more work to match the skills training with the appropriate investments, equipment and promoting apprenticeships.  Another $2 million was announced Thursday for career development which will connect employers and students to career exploration opportunities.

Each school division in the Province will be receiving a package indicating their funding allotment.  Bjornson explains that does not include any additional funding the school may be eligible for as well, even if a school division is seeing a decline in enrollment the amount of funding will not be affected, it will stay the same as the previous year.