Minister Takes Issue with Comments from NLTA President

The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education, was disappointed today by comments made by Lily B. Cole, President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association (NLTA), around provincial supports in place for teachers and students in this province.

“Budget 2013 provides $537 million, almost 64 per cent of the entire education budget, for teacher salaries, substitute teachers, student assistants, professional development, and various services for teachers,” said Minister Jackman. “Our commitment this year was to ensure there would be no change in the allocation of regular classroom teachers who deliver the required curriculum, no changes to allocations to special education, no changes to supports for students with special needs, no changes to supports for inclusion, and that Newfoundland and Labrador would continue to have the best pupil-teacher ratio of any province in Canada. We have frankly done everything possible to protect teachers and board staff who provide direct services to students in the classroom.”

Minister Jackman noted there will be more than 5,400 teachers assigned to the education system in September 2013, and 265 more teachers in the system in relation to student enrolment than there were five years ago.

“Since 2004, when school board administration was last consolidated, enrolment has declined by about 14,000 students,” said Minister Jackman. “Even if there had been no fiscal challenge this year, it would have been prudent to examine all the organizational structures and education supports we have in place to service this reduced student population. While I can appreciate that Ms. Cole has a role to play as an advocate for teachers, it is unfortunate that she is suggesting changes being made for the upcoming school year will have a negative impact on students, as she is well aware that measures were taken to ensure that would not be the case.”

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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca 

2013 04 03             12:20 p.m.