Canada’s teachers say ongoing staff shortages creating “crisis.” What’s behind it?

School is back in session but as students begin their lessons teachers are raising concerns over shortages kids themselves aren’t getting that support and teachers are being overworked because they’re being asked to do more and more and more as provinces face a crunch it means there are not enough

Teachers to cover regular classrooms in Nunavut the school system is seeing a nine to ten percent vacancy rate Teachers Association president Justin machet says while a lot of schools are fully staffed there are still some being impacted it’s causing a lot of issues amongst amongst staff in those schools

With a changing assignments a double duty loss of prep time those types of things it’s becoming quite stressful for some of our teachers already early in the school year from leaving for another job that may have less demand to potential harassment at school and even the housing crisis match it says there

Have been a variety of factors causing the teacher shortage in that territory I’ve spoken with so many people personally that are just on the brink of leaving the profession because they just they’re not feeling supported they’re not feeling like they can make it through the day or the week and that’s

Really unfortunate the issue of teacher shortage is extensive with many provinces and territories reporting issues Quebec for example has more than 8 500 positions unfilled in that Province and in Nova Scotia the teachers union says one of the big issues faced are among substitute teachers those who

Step in to fill the role when a full-time teacher may be ill there’s just there’s not enough substitute teachers during the year to cover off the times when the regular teacher is absent and that that itself is is placing a massive pressure on our schools that Staffing pressure in some

Provinces means specialty teachers those helping students with the most needs are being left to fill those gaps our most vulnerable kids who need support are not are not getting that support basically kids with IEPs who have specific needs and some of them really need that

Support on a daily basis do do not get it students in parts of Ontario have also seen classes canceled outright due to the shortage such as in the greater Toronto area last year it started to become a real serious issue with virtually every Secondary School in peel having to deal with

Regular class cancellations students not having a teacher just because there aren’t enough of them Ryan Harper adds that school board has seen an unexpected number of resignations in just one year but last year we had 54 secondary teachers in the Peel District School Board resigned and then we had 10 more

Resignations over the summer uh that those numbers are unprecedented another issue facing teachers are those brought in to teach without proper training Saskatchewan teachers Federation president Samantha bicott says they’ve seen people without a Bachelor’s of Education degree being brought into schools and she says she’s concerned it could lower the standards

To become a teacher if I were to think if my own children had an individual who was uncertified uh really just like I said four years out of high school no additional education I would be very concerned about the level of support that they were able to provide my

Children bcot adds there are some without that bachelor’s degree who are in schools due to specialized skills like applied Arts teachers but others without proper training could still be a concern teachers and those who represent them say action needs to be taken by governments not just in terms of

Staffing but providing the support Educators need we have to make teaching substitute teaching but full-time teaching a respected profession where where you can make ends meet and you can live a good life we need to make sure that people in Saskatchewan view public education as a benefit to all and as a

Necessary public service we need our government to step up and do things in a time and professional manner that’s going to make our members feel supported make them feel like they’re part of a a family here in Nunavut back in British Columbia Premier David EBY says his government is working to address the

Labor shortages but says there’s issues in multiple areas we think that certainly the shortages that we’re facing are serious and we need to pay attention and recruit and train additional teachers but they all kids are going to get a good education in British Columbia yeah teacher Annie

Ohana says enough is still not being done I do see it as part of like the healthcare you know system they are lacking nurses and doctors on all kinds of specialists in their world nobody is putting up with that it’s the same thing with education we have the same crisis a

Crisis that shows no sign of ending even as students are cracking open their books on a new school year Sean preville Global News

As children and teenagers return to school for another year, teachers are raising concerns over an increasing number of shortages in their profession from coast to coast to coast.

Teachers say there are a number of factors behind the shortage and many are worried some of the most vulnerable kids will lose the support they need when their educators are taken away to fill gaps in other classrooms.

Sean Previl reports on what teachers have to say and what action they want governments to take.

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