Panel data provided by Madison's Canadian Lumber Reporter.

Teachers Want Better Working Conditions, Bond Passes Out Booklets

By Elaine Macdonald

                                                           
BCTF President Jinny Sims


As classes started for another year, the BC Teachers Federation President, Jinny Sims, was calling on the Premier and the Minister of Education (Prince George's own Shirley Bond) to "find solutions, not create needless instability in schools" .  

Sims says  teachers see guaranteed learning conditions as a top priority among their bargaining objectives.
In June of this year, the BCTF had Mustel Group Research conduct a survey of 500 teachers.  There were three key questions:
How important is it to have a collective agreement that protects learning conditions like class size and the integration of students with special needs?
89% very important
9% somewhat important
1% not very
1% not at all 

How important is it to have bargaining rights restored?
83% very
13% somewhat
3% not very
1% not at all 

How important is it to negotiate a salary increase?
55% very
37% somewhat
7% not very
1% not at all

The teachers are set to take a strike vote on the  20th and the 22nd of the month.  They have been without a contract for more than a year.

Meantime, Minister of Education, Shirley Bond, was passing out booklets to grade one students.  Aimed at the parents of kindergarten and Grade 1 students, the set of  booklets is designed to improve the child's literacy skills.  "These booklets will encourage families to make reading and writing a natural part of everyday life,” said Bond. 

Parents will also receive Math for Families, which was first printed last year to help improve students’ math skills. 
" We all know that children do better in school when their families are involved in their education, and helping your child learn to read and write is one of the most important things you can do”  said the Minister.

While not making any promises to the teachers, the Province is quick to remind everyone that the Government is devoting dollars to education programs:
$12 million for public libraries, $10 million for new textbooks, $5 million for the community-based program LiteracyNow, $5 million for innovation grants to improve literacy and support teaching practices, $3 million for the kindergarten readiness program Ready, Set, Learn, and $400,000 in matching donations for the B.C. Raise-a-Reader campaign. 


Previous Story - Next Story



Return to Home