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Publicly Funded Education

Saskatchewan teachers, as expressed in the Federation policy on the Goals of Publicly Funded Education (2001), believe that the public education system in our province should be universally accessible and inclusive, that funding public education is a societal responsibility, and that the system is governed by elected officials who are accountable to the public.

Saskatchewn teachers believe that publicly funded education should:

• Meet the educational needs of all children in society.
• Recognize and respect diversity among students, staff and communities, and be committed to promoting equal benefit within schools and society.
• Shape and enrich the character and life opportunities of each student.
• Create a student-centred, broad-based understanding of education that prepares students to become knowledgeable, caring and responsible citizens.

The goals and curriculum of publicly funded education should have sufficient flexibility to balance provincial as well as local interests and needs, and are best defined and revised through processes in which the interests of all stakeholders are heard and considered. Teachers have the responsibility and right to contribute to the development and setting of these goals and curriculum.

Although publicly funded education has a central role in meeting the educational needs of students, the general well-being of children is a collective responsibility that is shared among the home, school and community. Teachers have a responsibility to model decision-making values and practices that are associated with democratic societies and, in carrying out their professional roles and responsibilities, should be active supporters of publicly funded education.