PEI

P.E.I. teachers anxious for new government's budget

The president of the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation says school principals and staff are anxious for the provincial budget to come down.

Schools need to know how much money is available before they can hire staff, says teachers union

Bethany MacLeod, president of the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation, says she hopes the new government provides more support for schools. (CBC)

The president of the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation says school principals and staff are anxious for the provincial budget to come down.

Bethany MacLeod says school staffing allocations are tied to the provincial budget, so hiring decisions for next fall can't be made until it's passed.

Declaration day for the new government isn't until Thursday, May 9, and it could be well into the summer before a budget is passed.

"It's hard for everybody involved because principals and administrators want to hire their staff for their schools and yet people are wondering, 'Where am I going to be employed next year or will I be employed?'"

MacLeod noted the PC Party platform promised extra supports for schools.

"We're hoping that that is, in fact, what happens because we definitely need more supports in our schools," she said.

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With files from Angela Walker