N.L. prepares for first big increase in school enrolment in 50 years with new funding

The head of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association says he's pleased by some of what he sees in the provincial government's new budget, released Thursday.

Trent Langdon, president of the NLTA,said after the budget speech there are highlights within the Liberal government book that benefitthe education system.

"Any time you see a maintenance of services throughout, in terms of guidance counsellors and administrators, that's very positive, especially [when] trying to recover from a pandemic," Langdon said.

Finance Minister Siobhan Coady announced the teaching services budget will increase by $11.6 million, includingabout$3.1 million to "meet demands associated with the increase in projected enrolment, as well as funding for substitute teachers and guidance counsellors."

Langdon said substitute teacherandguidance counsellor numbershave been growing concerns for the NLTA. There's one guidance counsellor for every 500 students in the province right now, he said, and it's not enough.

Langdon said the union would have liked to have seen a "much broader approach" to investing in education.

"There's a major recruitment and retention issue in this province right now for teachers. We're seeing it: there's not enough substitute teachers," he said.

"That longer-term vision needs to be there. That's a piece we would have liked to have seen and as well more information around the dilution of the school board."

Boost in enrolment

Coady said Thursday governmentwill continue to review class sizes and teacher allocations, something the NLTA has been calling for, particularly over the last two years with COVID-19 safety in mind for staff and students.

Coady also said the province isevaluating whether any areas need new schools based on anticipated enrolment.

She said for the first time in 50 years, enrolment is projected to increase to substantially increase, by about 1,000 students in 2022-23. Enrolment has steadily declined over the past half-century, apart from a blip in the current school year, which has 24 more students enrolled than last year, according to government figures.

"This is an exciting milestone, considering that over the last decade we have seen a decrease of 500 students annually," she said.

Threenew schools are planned: in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's,Cartwright and in Kenmount Terrace in St. John's,one of the fastest growing developments in the city.

Funding in the budget is earmarked for the planning of those schools.

Education Minister Tom Osborne said theareas were identified as priorities by the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District. High school students in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's currently bus to Holy Heart of Mary orPrince of Wales Collegiate in St. John's.

"This year's budget has funding for planning those schools to get a better understanding through transportation and infrastructure, what the schools will look like, the needs in the schools in terms of enrolment numbers and what the costs of the schools would look like," said Osborne.

"The actual funding for construction of the school will be followed in next year's or subsequent budgets."

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