Regina teachers group calls for more help with Syrian refugees

A Regina teachers association is raising concerns over the potential lack of resources provided to care for and educate newly arrived Syrian refugee children who will be entering the city'spublic school system.

Teachers and the community are doing their part to help the newly arrived students, but now teachers want governments to pitch in too, according to Jeff Perry, president for the Regina Public Schools Teachers' Association.

Speaking with reporters Monday morning, Perry said Regina's public school division has been "forced to react to these immediateneeds byreallocatingits staff and resources, which in many casesrequirestaking them away from one student to give to another."

"Teachers are very worried that no supports have come with these students. School divisions are not adequately equippedto deal with this amount of influx of students," he said.

Along with more English as an additional language (EAL) teachers, Perry said,schools also need more resource teachers,educational assistants, educational psychologists and behavioural therapists.

He said that especially with Syrian refugee childrenthe educational process will reach well beyond language barriers, because they're dealing with the traumas of fleeing their home country.

Party leaders respond

When asked about the issue on Monday, Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall cited previous times when there was an influx of students andthe government stepped in mid-school-year toprovideadditional support.

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"We wouldn't rule that out again, but it has to be part of a balanced budget," he said. "And now we're also welcoming refugees into the province, which we're proud to do. But there's additional costs there in terms of English as an additional language."

When asked the same question about assisting school children from Syria, NDP leader Cam Brotenframed the issue in terms of challenges facing all schools.

He said that a lack ofeducational assistants, shrinking support for English as an additional language and a lack of attention to school buildings all accumulate to put strains on teachers.

When that happens, teachers can't provide the instruction and mentorship that they're trained to do, he said.

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Brotentouted his party's plan to hire 300 more teachers and 300 more educational assistants as a way to help provide that support for students.