The Teachers’ Union is renewing its call for the province to implement a comprehensive approach to address the “three R’s”—recruitment, retention and resourcing.

NLTA President Trent Langdon says the problems are affecting schools throughout the province and action is needed now.

Langdon says the union is aware that recruitment incentives have been offered for a small number of hard-to-fill teaching positions, but there has been “no confirmed, clearly communicated, consistent approach” and no action to address retention of highly-credentialed professionals.

He says the province cannot ignore the current and continuing effect that staffing shortages and overall under-resourcing of schools are having.

He says they need strong incentives and attention to barriers like the cost of travel and housing in rural and remote areas. He says government has to get creative with incentives like student loan forgiveness for those willing to teach in areas having trouble filling positions.