This release was issued under a previous government.

The visit was one stop on an ongoing tour that has seen Minister Eggen visit post-secondary institutions across the province. At these events, he has been engaging with future teachers about their prospective careers, the ongoing review of curriculum and the impact that stable, predictable funding will have in Alberta’s classrooms.

“Our government continues to fund for enrolment growth for K-12 education across the province. We have invested an additional $381 million in funding to cover enrolment since May 2015. We are protecting and improving the things that make a difference in the lives of Albertans, including education, and we will continue to work to make life better.”  

David Eggen, Minister of Education

“As a teacher who is about to join the workforce, it is reassuring to me to know that the government is meeting the needs of Alberta's growing population when it comes to K-12 education. It tells me there will be spaces for students, reasonable class sizes and jobs for graduating teachers.” 

Joanna Gill, Bachelor of Education student (Class of 2017), Faculty of Education, University of Alberta

Quick facts

  • By protecting K-12 education in the last two provincial budgets, 1,100 new teachers were hired and schools retained more than 800 jobs.
  • Many schools across the province, particularly in metro areas, saw increases in their student populations over the past two years.
  • Enrolment growth funding for 2015/16 on a full school year basis was $178 million.
  • Enrolment growth funding for 2016/17 on a full school year basis would be $170 million.
  • Reversing the other proposed cuts introduced by the previous government added an additional $95 million into the system.