School staffing numbers worry P.E.I. Teachers' Federation

P.E.I. Teachers' Federation president Bethany MacLeod said she's hearing concerns about staffing numbers for next fall at some P.E.I. schools.

One of the concerns, she said, is that some schools with increasing student enrolment may actually have fewer teachers.

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"We do have some concerns because we have schools where enrolment is going up and numbers are increasing with the students coming into the school but yet positions are remaining the same or positions are being cut," said MacLeod.

"So we are concerned at this point and at this point the message isn't really being clearly communicated to teachers why the positions are cut."

MacLeod said she is looking for clarification.

No clear picture of next year's staffing

School principals will not have a clear picture of who they will have on staff until the integration of the English Language school board and the Department of Education is complete, she added.

The hiring process for those integrated jobs is still taking place. Those who don't land jobs in the integration process can go back to the classroom.

MacLeod said so far things are better than last year when there were major delays, but she figures the final hiring process will be about a month behind schedule.

Meanwhile, the provincial government has said there will be no cuts to the number of teaching positions in the province for the upcoming school year.

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