Feds mull 'take-home packages' for Shamattawa students out of school due to teacher shortage

Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada says it's aware of the shortage of teachers in Shamattawa First Nation, and is working with community leaders to minimize the disruption to students who have been unable to start school.

In an email Tuesday an INAC spokesperson said the department is working with chief and council "to ensure take-home packages or other arrangements are in place to ensure all students receive educational services."

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Roughly 200 students who were supposed to begin school on Aug. 28 have not started classes because the school is short 11 teachers. The principal is in the process of hiring, but he says  it could take weeks to fill the positions.

"Education is critical to the success of First Nation youth and we are committed to ensuring that education services are not disrupted," the INAC spokesperson said.

INAC acknowledged recruiting teachers to remote northern communities presents a continuing challenge.

Chief Jeffery Napaokesik says a series of youth-involved arsons over the last year may be hurting the chances of attracting and retaining teachers to the fly-in First Nation located 750 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

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Teach for Canada, a non-profit that recruits and prepares teachers to work in Ontario First Nations, says lower salaries also pose a barrier to attracting teachers to work in northern communities.

"Because of the gap in funding and education between provincial schools and on-reserve schools that are funded by the federal system, the salaries tend to be lower on First Nations on-reserve schools," Sara-Christine Gemson, a spokesperson for Teach for Canada, said.

INAC says it provides Shamattawa First Nation approximately $4.8 million for education services, and has provided "additional funding" this year to go toward the salaries of three youth engagement workers, elders in every classroom from nursery to Grade 8, youth engagement travel and professional development sessions for teachers.

A team of officials is also working with community leaders to address "immediate" and "long-term" needs in Shamattawa such as the condition of teacher accommodations and recreational programming and services for youth, the spokesperson said.

"We recognize that Shamattawa is facing a number of complex issues and we are taking a whole-of-government approach to help address the issues facing the community."