As mentioned yesterday, this is Education Week. We have over 800 teachers in our 33 communities, capably represented by the NWTTA, the N.W.T. Teachers’ Association.
But in all of our communities, teachers and their boards face obstacles. Public education should be fair and equitable for all students, yet our schools are not fully funded and must use school fees, fundraising efforts and corporate donations to finance some of their programs. Somehow we must find the dollars to completely fund all of our school programs and ensure equal opportunities for students, no matter where they live or their financial situation. It is imperative that education programs retain their current funding levels in the face of impending budget reductions.
Housing for teachers in our communities is an ongoing issue. To quote the NWTTA, it must be “available, adequate and affordable.” Yet teachers consistently face housing shortages, unsafe living conditions and exorbitant rents. We want to attract and retain quality teachers to N.W.T. schools. How can that happen if housing conditions are deplorable?
This same problem often exists for other professionals in our communities. The government must consider building a fourplex housing unit in communities where housing is scarce and use it to provide accommodations for all the community’s professionals.
As well, teachers daily face violence in the classrooms and schools. No one should have to deal with violence in their workplace. We must find a solution for this situation.
There have been some inroads in some schools. The restitution program at École J.H. Sissons School is an excellent example of the successful changing of students’ behaviours.
Not surprisingly, there’s a high turnover rate amongst N.W.T. teachers. The number of qualified applicants for Northern teaching posts gets smaller every year. It’s been proven that students perform better with consistent, strong teaching over a number of years. The retention of teachers improves students’ success.
Lastly, teachers and schools lack sufficient student support resources. We need to provide access to educational psychologists, speech therapists, audiologists, counsellors, nurses and RCMP for all students — and that certainly does not exist in all of our communities.
So, this week, hug a teacher or find some other way to let them know how much you appreciate their work. And to all teachers I say, “Thank you for making a difference.”
