The start of a new school year is just over a week away, and the Teachers Association worries there are still a host of teaching positions that remain unfilled.

NLTA President Trent Langdon says they don’t have exact numbers, that would need to come from the district, but they are hearing that as of August 22 there were still about 200 positions that have not been filled.

Langdon says the challenge for the education system at this time of year is filling those “last minute positions” to make sure schools open with a full compliment of teachers.

He says the province has always had a challenge filling positions in rural and isolated areas. He says there are many barriers preventing people from applying such as the cost of living, the travel in-and-out of some of those communities, and housing. “it’s not as simple as filling a position” says Langdon.