The President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association wants to see some major changes to the way substitute teachers are compensated.
On Thursday, the NLTA sounded the alarm stating that the public education system will face disruptions if the province’s substitute teacher shortage is not addressed.
The NLTA says they are concerned that schools may have no choice but to send children home with little to no notice when a sub is unavailable.
President Dean Ingram says they’ve had meetings with MP Seamus O’Regan and other federal cabinet ministers outlining a number of things that need to be considered, like the CERB and how it’s applied.
He says there have to be measures taken on both the federal and provincial levels. Another big piece of the puzzle according to Ingram, is the EI program.
Ingram says in meetings, the Commissioner for EI acknowledged that education is a unique sector in terms of how the EI rules are being applied—and something needs to be done. He says they also need to look at earning thresholds being changed, insurable hours for special benefits, maternity, parental and more.
All of those elements are federal issues, and Ingram believes the province has to step up as well. He says they need to find solutions or they run a real risk of current problems intensifying.
Ingram shared one experience where a principal had to make some 68 calls before getting an available substitute, which he believes speaks to the magnitude of the problem.