Alberta teachers call for more Syrian refugee student funding

More than 400 teachers are in Calgary this weekend for the annual representative assembly of the Alberta Teachers' Association.

The teachers are debating more than 200 resolutions but one of the major topics is Syrian refugee funding.

The ATA says it needs more money to properly teach the more than 1,000 students who are registered in public schools across the province.

ATA President Mark Ramsankar says there are a variety of issues that need to be addressed.

"Those include language barriers obviously coming in," Ramsankar said.

"Many of these children have not had formal schooling so adjusting to a formal school setting becomes an issue. There are quite a variety of social and mental issues that are associated with moving from a country and having the stability of your life becoming a refugee, coming to a new country, it has an emotional impact on children."

Education Minister David Eggen said the current funding model is going to remain in place.

"The provincial government, we provide $5,000 dollars or so per refugee student. And we continue that on for a period of five years. We have a good track record here for accommodating new Canadians," Eggen said.

"We have done this for generations in Alberta schools. It is part of who we are as Albertans to welcome and to bring new people into our province."

The conference wraps Monday.

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