Dale Kirby backs away from promise of no teacher cuts

The minister of education is backing down from a promise that no teachers will be taken out of the classroom.

In an email to CBC News Thursday morning, Kirby backed away from comments in an interview done Wednesday.

"To clarify, my comments made in an interview with CBC yesterday were in response to a question concerning the teacher allocation mode," Kirby wrote.

"The provincial government is firmly committed to our current policy on teacher allocation and we have no intention of adjusting the model."

• 'Over my dead body': Dale Kirby says he won't cut more teaching positions

• 'Not working as it was intended:' Education minister says inclusive model has to change

That's different from what he told the CBC's Anthony Germain in an interview responding to the Inside the Classroom series.

"Over my dead body," he said when asked if class sizes could get larger next year.

"I could not possibly continue to do this job if there are any reductions in teachers in this province."

Not cutting the allocation formula, which Kirby is now promising, is different from not cutting teacher positions.

The formula bases the number of teachers on the number of students, and overall school enrolment in Newfoundland and Labrador is diminishing.

That means schools with a shrinking number of students could have fewer teachers next year, and the overall number of teachers employed will likely continue to shrink.

Premier backs Kirby's 'clarified' comments

Premier Dwight Ball is backing Kirby's new comments, saying the existing formula won't be changed in the upcoming budget.

"I support Minister Kirby and his comments around the teacher allocation formula," Ball told CBC News in an interview.

Like Kirby, Ball is leaving the door open for some cuts to the number of teachers as the number of students shrinks.

"We're seeing some schools, we see a declining enrolment, and that's what the teacher allocation formula speaks to, but those decisions will be based on when those numbers are available," he said.

• Inside the Classroom: Read all of the reports in our series