The Saskatchewan government is giving a mid-year funding boost to the eight fastest-growing school divisions in the province.

Education Minister Russ Marchuk says the $6.6 million increase is in response to the large spikes in enrolment some school divisions are seeing from one year to the next.

Enrolment in the province rose by 2,300 students this year, with Saskatoon, Martensville and Warman accounting for more than half of that growth.

Marchuk says the government will adjust its funding formula to reflect school divisions' current-year enrolments, not just the numbers from the prior year. The move was applauded by the Saskatchewan School Boards Association.

The eight school divisions sharing the funding increase include:

• Lloydminster Catholic School Division No. 89

• Prairie Spirit School Division No. 206

• Prairie Valley School Division No. 208

• Regina Catholic School Division No. 81

• Saskatoon School Division No. 13

• South East Cornerstone School Division No. 209

• St. Paul’s Catholic School Division No. 20

• Sun West School Division No. 207

The government also announced it will spend $800,000 to add 40 to 50 new portable classrooms by the start of the next school year.