Yukon to cut educational assistants, teachers' union says

The Yukon Teachers' Association (YTA) says the territory is preparing to reduce the number of educational assistants (EAs) working in Yukon schools next fall.

YTA president Jill Mason says school administrators were recently told by the Department of Educationthat "they wouldn't get as many educational assistants as they had last year."

Mason believesthere could be around 40 fewer EAs next year. Right now, she estimates there are about 225 working as non-permanent employeesin Yukon schools, "so 40 is pretty signficant."

According to Mason, an allocation committee made up of teachers, parents, First Nations, and othersdecidedlast year that EAs should be allocated based on students' needs, not with an "arbitrary cap" on their numbers.

She says word of the cuts came even before schools had submitted their needs-based requests.

CBC Newsasked the Department of Education on Fridayfor details or comment on Mason's concerns. The department said a spokesperson would be available on Monday.

Mason says parents should be given informationas soon as possible.

"These students that we're talking about are the most vulnerable students in our territory. Sothey'rephysically, orcognitively, orbehaviourallychallenged students whose needs often require the extra supportsfor the good of the whole school," she said.

"Parents might not even realize at this point that their children won't have the supports inplacethat they have now,until the fall."