The province has stuck it to parents again.
On Monday, the Ministry announced a teacher training program for its new curriculum, which includes 10 hours of “non-instructional time” this year to learn the material. The kicker for school boards, who are already grappling with tight budgets, is there will be no new money to fund the training program, so the costs must be worked into already implemented budgets.
And, as though they are bestowing a great gift, the ministry announces that it will be up to local school boards to decide how this new training time is to be organized.
What this really means is school districts need to scrap days of instructional time for our kids translating into additional full days off school or cancelling classes early on some days.
The government wants to give teachers training time, but who gets to subsidize it outside of the tax system?
Parents. Straight in the pocketbook.
There will be a direct cost to families forced to scramble to make arrangements and pay for child-care costs on the additional days off school for their children.
Don’t be fooled. Be sure to mentally add this amount to what you already fork out in taxes.