Many eyes and ears in local education are on the Ministry of Education to see how it will unroll the funding this spring for the costs of implementing its agreement with the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF).
This includes the $100 million for up to 1,100 new teachers it pledged in response to the court’s decision, according to the union representing it’s current teachers.
BCTF president Glen Hansman says “all eyes will be on the BC Liberal government this March and April to ensure the necessary funds materialize.”
Last week’s announcement, of $2 million in funding for rural teacher recruitment on March 14, has local education eyes and ears zeroing in on confirmation of what this will mean for local recruitment efforts.
Cariboo Chilcotin Teachers’ Association president Murray Helmer says he spoke with the School District #27 on March 15, and there was no word yet on how much the local district would receive for recruitment from the province’s $2 million.
However, he was disappointed to hear the ministry’s announcement provincial funding will “flow to districts” from the BC Public School Employers’ Association’s recruitment and retention program (Make a Future – Careers in BC Education).
Education Minister Mike Bernier indicates in the funding release this new $2 million will be used for free job posting services and access to an online teacher application management system; other coordination of national and international recruitment efforts; and local incentives, such as enhanced funding for travel expenses for professional development, relocation expenses and transitional housing assistance.
Helmer says the Make a Future (MAF) website is for posting vacancies, but Districts have been charged a fee to post their jobs on this Ministry/BCPSEA’s website, which they will no longer be required to pay.
“The Ministry is giving the Districts money that the Districts will give right back to the Ministry.
“So, as much as it sounds like it’s $2-million to recruit teachers, it’s actually $2-million, primarily, so all Districts will get on to the website and have those costs covered.”
While this still covers some costs for SD27, as it does use this website, how much it will save is not yet clear to the CCTA except that the recruitment funding “not as rosy as it sounds,” he adds.
“It doesn’t leave a whole lot of money to actually get teachers here and to offset some of their costs when they come to a more remote area … probably not enough to come up with some retention incentives to actually get [education] students to come here.”
Helmer says the BCTF, including its CCTA local members, believe this funding could better promote teachers coming up to consider B.C.’s. more rural and remote public education postings through forgivable student loans, or offsetting travel and accommodation costs.
“I don’t think there is going to be nearly enough to do any of those things.”
However, SD27 acting superintendent Mark Wintjes says while it is awaiting the breakdown, the District is happy to have the website posting money, as it would cost the district about $5,000 in website costs that it normally “opts out of because of tight budgets” and it will now “definitely sign on” to use it.
“We are pleased that the Ministry of Education has recognized this need is there and is willing to do something about it.”
The District does hope there may be more money coming beyond this to help with teacher recruitment and retention than its share of this $2 million – “a fairly small piece” when spread across the province, of which SD27 may get perhaps one percent, Wintjes says.
Wintjes explains SD 27 has worked “very closely” with the Ministry and BCPSEA on its MAF program that has already approved some money for its local recruitment booth at a country-wide public education Jobs Fair coming up in early April in Toronto.
Wintjes adds he is “extremely pleased” to have the CCTA working with SD27 to help fund some teachers to represent jobs in the Cariboo-Chilcotin at the job fair.
Both Helmer and Wintjes note the CCTA and the CCTA sometimes financially support local teachers participating in recruitment campaigns to give today’s education students a look at the positive spin on the Cariboo-Chilcotin life.
