P.E.I. has a substitute teacher shortage, says teachers' federation

The P.E.I. Teacher's Federation says a new collective agreement reached through arbitration does contain a wage increase for substitute teachers, but president Bethany MacLeod doesn't think it will be enough to deal with what she calls a shortage of substitutes.

Teaching cuts in recent years have meantmany young education graduates on the Island are leaving for jobs up north or out west, instead of substituting, said MacLeod.

She wishes the wage increase had been moreto serve as a greater enticement for substitutes to stay.

"It's basically economic adjustments is what they are getting," said MacLeod.

"It helps a little bit of course but it doesn't really help because then we still have our young teachers that are moving away because they can't find work here.

"I have had teachers report to me this year that they have been coming in sick for work because they can't find anybody to substitute ... It used to be that it was just in the rural areas that there were shortages but now it is even more so in the urban areas."

Fewer opportunities

MacLeod said before government cuts to teaching positions, new education graduates would substitute for a few years before getting a permanent position.

She saidthe same number of opportunities aren't there now, so new teachers become frustrated and either leave the profession or the province.

"You know if they can't find work, they can only survive so long without a regular salary, so they will choose to move away and it's unfortunate even for the economy of P.E.I.,"said MacLeod.

It's a sad situation because the Island is losing some talented and gifted teachers, added MacLeod.

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