The Burnaby Teachers’ Association (BTA) is calling on Education and Child Care Minister Lisa Beare, Premier David Eby, and the BC government to immediately increase funding to public education. The Burnaby School District’s proposed 2025–26 budget includes $4.2 million in cuts that will directly harm student services and learning conditions.
Key Budget Cuts:
- Counselling Services: Reduction of 3 full-time counsellors in Burnaby secondary schools.
- Custodial Staff: Most daytime elementary school custodians reduced to on-call only, despite health and safety risks.
- Grade 7 Band Program: Eliminated, removing a formative musical opportunity.
- Advanced Learning Programs: MACC and BETA programs cut: re-integrating high-achieving students into mainstream classrooms without supports.
- Mandarin Language Arts Program: Phased out, reducing linguistic and cultural learning opportunities.
These cuts contradict Premier Eby’s election promise to provide a mental health counsellor in every school and an Educational Assistant in every primary classroom. “Teachers cannot stand by and stay silent any longer,” said Alex Peters, BTA President. “They are drowning in overcrowded and unsupported classrooms, and asked year over year to do more with less support from EAs, counsellors and custodians. Our students deserve more.
Students’ learning conditions are teachers’ working conditions and since our students cannot advocate for their needs, teachers are sounding the alarm to ensure that their voices are heard.”
The Burnaby Teachers’ Association calls upon the provincial government to stand up for our students and staff by increasing public education funding immediately.
Author: RED FM News Desk
Loading ...
