The Edmonton Public School District is asking the federal government to provide $2 million to help it educate 500 school-aged Syrian newcomers in its district.
“We are working to support them in the unique needs that they have,” board chair Michael Janz said Tuesday morning.
“The students have spread out from corner-to-corner of Edmonton.”
Janz said the school district needs the funding to help with mental health and cultural supports for those students, who are spread out across the Edmonton Public’s 200 schools. The board chair said the students arrived after the enrolment deadline for funds from the provincial government and the district is looking to the federal government to cover that gap.
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“We want to ensure all parties are at the table. As these students are the federal government’s responsibility, we want to make sure we are adequately supported by them as well,” Janz said.
Currently, funding is being allocated from other areas of the school district’s budget, but Janz didn’t specify from where.
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It’s not just about the funding gap either. Janz told reporters the district also wants to set a precedent as Canada welcomes more newcomers in the future.
“If they are going to be taking actions that incur cost commitments for boards, we want to make sure that boards are supported.”
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Until the school district gets a response, the board chair said it will continue to do what it can to provide the best education for all students.
“We are continuing to support these kids – this is not a question. The question for our board is: will the federal government continue to do so?”
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