Update:
We have reaction from a teacher's union in Sudbury to the news of the Ontario government’s plan to cut teaching positions in the province.
The Ford government says it’s through attrition, but that is not easing fears from educators and parents.
Rainbow Teacher Local of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario represents over 600 elementary teachers in Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin.
It says class size matters and larger ones will hurt learning, with less teacher time per student, especially for those with special needs.
Liana Holm is the First Vice President for ETFO Local that represents the elementary teachers in the Rainbow District School Board.
“In northern Ontario, we have very specialized needs. We have farther geographical regions, which will increase those class sizes even more in some areas, because our rural areas have, it’s based on an average, so the rural areas have smaller class sizes, which makes the class sizes in town larger.” said Holm.
There is a huge ‘rally for education’ planned at Queen's Park on April 6.
Buses full of education workers, parents, and students concerned about the cuts are leaving from Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay and Parry Sound early Saturday morning to lend their voices to the cause.
Original:
Provincial documents are giving a glimpse into the Ontario government's future plans for teacher staffing levels in Ontario.
A ministry memo has been sent to directors of education and senior business officials.
The four-year plan would see nearly 3,500 jobs phased out through attrition and voluntary packages.
It would begin this fall, with just over 1,500 full-time positions.
The government says this would save $851-million, but it's unclear exactly how that number breaks down.
CTV News will follow the story and provide more details as they become available.
