Parents at rural P.E.I. schools worried about teacher cuts

Parents at some rural P.E.I. schools are worried there will be fewer teachers in their classrooms next year.

The province is currently working with local principals to decide staffing needs around the Island.

• Putting teachers where the kids are: Public Schools Branch reallocating positions

Southern Kings Consolidated will lose almost two and a half positions by this fall, according to Ashley Higginbotham, co-president of the home and school association.

That may be in line with the provincial target ratio of teachers to students, but it also may mean fewer opportunities for students, including things like library or gym classes, she said.

"Unfortunately when you get into the more rural schools, you still have to have a certain amount of teachers to address the curriculum and all of the other items that need to be done in an average school day," said Higginbotham. "My concern is that with 2.34 less teachers, is our school really going to be able to do that?"

A parent at Georgetown Elementary, Melvin Ford, is also concerned about the number of teachers at rural schools.

"There is no possible way that we deserve to have teaching positions taken from our communities to better service the city schools," said Ford. "We deserve the same programming."

Education critic Steven Myers is calling on the provincial government to release specific numbers on next year's teaching staff, and where they'll be placed.

In an emailed statement, the province said teachers will be assigned to schools based on population needs, and that the numbers given to principals are preliminary and could change.

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