Education minister announces new teacher recruitment policy 

As part of a multi-faceted strategy to attract more qualified teachers to rural and remote communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, Education Minister Judy Foote today announced a new policy targeting retired teachers. 

This new policy will remove current barriers preventing retired teachers from being hired to fill long-term positions in Newfoundland and Labrador. However, school boards wishing to hire a retired teacher must first demonstrate to the Department of Education that they have been unable to recruit a teacher who meets the qualifications of the position and who is not retired.

"This policy is designed first and foremost to help those schools in rural areas which have trouble recruiting teachers. If no other teacher is available, it is preferable that our retired teachers who want to return to work be able to fill these vacant positions," said Minister Foote. "It would be unfortunate to continue losing their valuable talent to other provinces, particularly when we have a demonstrated need right here in our own school system."

Under the current policies governing teachers' pensions, retired teachers who were hired to fill vacant teaching positions, or who worked more than a total of 65 substitute teaching days per year, were required to continue contributing to their pension plan, and to cancel their pension benefits. 

The new recruitment policy, which takes effect in January of 2002, will allow retired teachers to continue receiving their benefits in addition to their salary. Retired teachers will only be hired for a term contract which terminates by the end of the school year. In addition, retired teachers hired under this policy will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will be approved only if no other teacher, who also meets the requirements of the position, is available.

This new policy is one of several initiatives the Department of Education has implemented to address teacher recruitment in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Last year, a recruitment and retention bonus of $5,000 was introduced for teachers working in isolated communities in coastal Labrador. This is in addition to the Labrador Allowance negotiated under the Labrador Benefits Agreement. 

Last spring, the Department of Education, in partnership with Memorial University of Newfoundland, the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association, and school boards held a provincial job fair to promote teaching opportunities in the province, as well as attract university students to a career in teaching. In the spring of 2002, the Department of Education and its partners will hold a second provincial job fair, following the same format.

In addition, the Department of Education recently made an amendment to its Teachers' Certification Regulations, which increased the salary levels of emergency supply teachers holding a university degree. 

"Employing retired teachers, when no other teachers are available, is only one part of our overall strategy to ensure that our children receive the best-quality education possible, no matter where they live in our province," said Minister Foote. "The Department of Education continues to work with the school boards, the NLTA and Memorial University to ensure that we are taking a pro-active approach to teacher recruitment."

Media contact: Gay Decker, Communications, (709) 729-0048.

2001 12 07                             9:35 a.m.