The province and it’s 73,000 elementary school teachers are still at an impasse in contract talks with the key issue being a funding gap in the system.
Teachers are gathered in Toronto this week and the President of the Elementary teachers Federation, David Clegg tells Bayshore Broadcasting news a meeting with Education Minister Kathleen Wynne yesterday failed to provide much hope.
Clegg says the province is refusing to match funding at the elementary level with the secondary level.
The shortfall amounts to about 700 dollars per students and means larger class sizes, not enough equipment such as books and computers…. and more stress for teachers.
Clegg says eliminating the funding gap would lead to a better education for students.
The Teacher federation president also took pot-shots at a local school board.
Clegg says the move by the BlueWater District School Board in Port Elgin away from rotary to non-rotary teaching is counter productive.
He says there are no studies to show non-rotary is a better teaching system and it fails to save much money.
David Clegg says having intermediate students in a rotary teaching system is good preparation for high school.
The Teacher Federation president isn’t aware of any other board in Ontario that is moving away from the rotary teaching system like the Bluewater board is now.
