Manitoba school divisions prepare for increase in staff absenteeism
Classes begin Monday with a week of remote learning, but staff have already started calling in sick
As COVID-19 infections surge in the province, Manitoba school divisions are already preparing to deal with an influx of sick calls and medical leaves when classes resume next week.
Six Winnipeg school divisions shared staff sick leave numbers with CBC on Thursday. The absence rates ranged from3.5 per cent in the Louis Riel School Division to 10 per cent in the Winnipeg School Division.
By Friday, the Winnipeg School Division's number hadjumped to 12 per cent.
Teachers returned to work from the winter break on Thursday. Classes resume on Monday, but the first week will be remote learning for most students, with in-person instruction currently set to return on Jan. 17.
Manitoba officially reported3,265 new COVID-19 cases Friday, with a provincialfive-day test positivity rate of 44.4 per cent.
However, the case numbers are considered to be a dramatic undercount due to testing backlog and the fact many cases, such as those confirmed through rapid testing at home, are not included in the official number.
Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba's deputy chief public health officer, said the actual case numbers are likelyeightto 10 times higher than those reported.
In the coming weeks, Manitoba's education system is expected to see the same high rates of absenteeism due to illness that other sectors have seen recently.
That could mean students like 14-year-old Reboti Khan will be taught by a rotation of different substitute teachers.
That was what she experienced last year when her homeroom teacher was on leave.
"We had all these different substitute teachers coming in. Each of them had different styles of teaching. It was kind of overwhelming to understand each teacher," Khan said.
Shortages could go beyond teaching staff
Brian O'Leary, superintendent for Seven Oaks School Division,says his division is expecting staffing shortages and challenges in the coming months not just among teachers, but also support staff, janitorial staff and administrators.
Parents should anticipate some bus routes being cancelled, as the division was already seeing a shortage of bus drivers before the winter break, he said.
He's remaining optimistic for teaching staff and says Seven Oaks hasa "solid roster" of people able to step in.
The division has reached out to many retired teachers about working as substitutesand asked them to be available full-time through the remainder of January and February.
"Recently retired teachers have been pitching in. We have recently graduated teachers who are substituting. We also have really experienced teachers and resourcecounsellors who can come into a classroom," said O'Leary.
"So we'll be looking after your kids, and we'll be doing our best."
As schools struggle with absenteeism,Fadi Ennab worries they'll also struggle to reach a higher standard of education.
Ennab, who has a10-year-old daughterhe has helped navigate online learning during the pandemic, teaches at the University of Winnipeg and is a researcher with the Manitoba Research Alliance, focusing on issues related to school safety.
He says absenteeism impacts student engagement and the teacher-student relationship, and can affect the quality of education.
"When we have absenteeism we're not able to even reach a minimum standard, never mind an advanced quality standard [of education]," he said.
With files from Sam Samson
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