BCTF files grievance over teacher shortage

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Students across BC have had to deal with teacher shortages all school year, and now the BC Teachers’ Federation says it’s taking action with the hopes of avoiding a similar situation next year.

The BCTF has filed a grievance over the shortfall of educators, saying the lack of teachers has created problems all year long and is threatening it spill over into September.

“It’s been over 15 months since the March 2017 agreement that implemented teachers’ restored class-size and class-composition collective agreement language, but not enough has been done to resolve the ongoing teacher shortage,” BCTF President Glen Hansman says. “It’s also been six months since a government task force on recruitment and retention strategies made recommendations for immediate actions, but only some have been implemented.”

As we near the end of this school year, Hansman says there are still reports of a number of non-certified teachers working in classrooms. He adds students with special needs are not getting access to programs or are being sent home.

“…And hundreds of classes with class compositions that don’t meet the learning needs of students,” he says. “While there were some announcements in February to slightly increase teacher education spots, the lack of bold action and provincial co-ordination means the shortage will make the next school year challenging as well.”

The BCTF’s provincial grievance is now in arbitration, where Hansman hopes the “failure to have sufficient TTOCs” to fill in will be addressed. He also wants to see the arbitration look into what impacts pulling specialists away from some of the most vulnerable students may be having.

Related articles: 

Meantime, Education Minister Rob Fleming says schools are trying to fill empty positions.

“We have some more work to do with additional teacher recruitment, but that’s why we’ve funded more teacher training spaces, that’s why we have 1,800 new graduates coming out of universities next year ready to be teachers.”

He adds most districts have even reported their hiring plans went better than expected.

“Districts recruiting across the country, out of province,” he says. “Luring BC certificate holders who are teaching offshore back to BC. Wherever teachers were available, high quality teachers, where they were found and 97 per cent of the hiring was completed.”

A 2016 Supreme Court of Canada decision forced the provincial government to restore teacher staffing to 2002 levels after it ruled that the former Liberal government improperly took away the union’s right to bargain class size and composition.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today