Quebec teachers refuse to carry out annual student count as pressure tactic

English-language teachers' unions in Quebec confirm their members did not complete an annual student count on Wednesday,in an attempt to put pressure on the government.

Every Sept.30, schools across Quebec must countthe number of students on their premises that day.The province provides financingto schools based on the number of the students enrolled.

The president of the Lester B.Pearson School Board'steachers' union, John Donnelly,saidteachers took attendance as usual, but theydid not complete the government census form.

The pressuretactic is meant to demonstratehow teachers are asked to do more than just teach, said thehead of the union representing teachers from the English Montreal School Board, Peter Sutherland.

"A lot of teachers get burdened with extra paperwork, extra administrative tasks that really keep them from focusing on the classroom and on their students," he said.

The move was alsoa message to the school boards, Donnelly added.

"This is just another indication to the school boards that they should also be working with the government to get negotiations going," Donnelly said.

A spokesman for QuebecEducation MinisterFranois Blaissaidthe pressure tactic will have no impacton the allocation of subsidies to schools.