Education Minister Krista Lynn Howell admits the annual number of teaching graduates is not keeping up with the number of vacancies in the province’s schools.

The province is currently recruiting some 250 teachers to fill vacancies in the system, which is part of regular yearly operations.

She says the number of graduates from teaching programs does not meet the need, but they’re coming up with a number of incentive programs to attract teachers to the system and keep current teachers longer.

The faculty of education program produces some 130 grads annually “so there’s always that net loss that we’re trying to overcome” says Howell. The minister says government is working with the NLTA to come up with incentives to attract and keep teachers in the system.