B.C. schools need more money and more support: BCTF

The B.C. Teachers' Federation says while funding for B.C. schools might have increased, it hasn't kept pace with the actual cost of education.

Education Minister Mike Bernier said Tuesday on The Early Edition funding has gone up even though the number of students has gone down.

Bernier's comments were in response to a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) report that claimed funding for B.C. schools is the second worst in the country.

Glen Hansman, president of the B.C. Teachers' Federation, says while funding might have gone up, it doesn't change the fact B.C. still doesn't stack up well in comparison to other provinces.

"We're about $1,000 less per student than the national average and that has a big consequence in terms of what we're able to provide students in the classroom."

Hansman says while graduation rates are good in B.C. right now, there are a few segments of the student population that are falling behind. They include students with special needs, indigenous students, ESL learners, and newcomers.

"[These students] aren't getting the sorts of supports we would have been able to provide them 12 to 15 years ago."

New curriculum needs support

One key area Hansman says needs to be addressed is the lack of specialist teachers who have done additional coursework on B.C.'s new school curriculum.

"The supports need to be there to make sure that [the curriculum is] successful for students, and that we can sustain this change over a period of time."

Hansman says teachers are still excited to start teaching the new curriculum.

"Despite the underfunding, we've been able to carve out the space and get a lot of good things done. We want to make sure it's done right."

With files from The Early Edition

To hear the interview, click on the link labelled Back-to-school challenges with Glen Hansman, BCTF