The Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association says there is potential for disruptions to education if a substitute teacher shortage is not immediately addressed.
The NLTA says if appropriate steps are not taken, schools may have no choice but to send children home with little or no notice, when a substitute teacher is not available.
The union first raised the issue when schools were closed in mid-March due to COVID-19, but say they have not received satisfaction from the Education Department.
President Dean Ingram says the shortage of substitute teachers has been growing for years, and measures to address in-class instruction in light of the pandemic is only going to exacerbate the problem.
He says he has had outreach from substitute teachers who are clearly indicating that they’re contemplating leaving the profession altogether, or exploring opportunities in other jurisdictions.
The union says schools have had to respond creatively when a substitute teacher has not been available by doubling up classes, but that will be impossible as the result of physical distancing measures.