It’s the start of another school year, and while students are heading back to class, many teachers have already been working for weeks to prepare for the upcoming year.

President of the NL Teacher’s Association, Dean Ingram says many teachers go above and beyond what they’re compensated for, in order to ensure their students’ success.

While they take on the extra responsibility themselves, Ingram says there are continuing issues that need to be addressed—such as excessive class sizes and a lack of supports for teachers and students alike.

In order to foster students to reach their potential, he says action needs to be taken.

Ingram says a conglomerate of supports are required—such as teacher learning assistance, instructional resources, and teacher-student assistance—if the province truly believes in education.

While the needs of each student may vary, Ingram says it’s difficult and often taxing on teachers to ensure that each student gets the proper support. He calls education the “most powerful weapon” that you can use to change the world. Because of that, he says it’s important to get it right.