A new report shows teachers are still not happy with changes being made to education.
Educators for Social Justice-Nova Scotia asked almost 300 teachers what has improved or what needs work since government imposed a contract with the passing of Bill 75.
Co-author Dr. Pamela Rogers says the results show 80 percent of teachers feel disrespected and demoralized.
And for government to say otherwise isn’t based in reality.
“I think it’s one thing to come out in the media and say that teachers are happy with certain changes in the system. I think it’s another thing to actually poll teachers.”
Rogers says fewer than 20 percent could come up with a positive change and over 65 percent reported not feeling respected by government.
Rogers says the report is now in the hands of all parties.
NDP Education critic Claudia Chender says those numbers should worry government.
“A number of the teachers in this report suggested that they were either actively looking for another job or they were looking to leave the province.”
Chender says there’s already a shortage of teachers and substitutes and the province needs more, not fewer educators.
She says teachers aren’t able to connect to their students in their classrooms as well as they would like because of increased administrative demands.
The report outlines teacher’s concerns that they are told to collect data in services like Powerschool and TIENET but aren’t being given any extra time to do so.
Rogers says government needs change their approach before heading into the next round of contract negotiations with the teachers union later this year.
Reported by: Ed Halverson
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
E-mail: halverson.ed@radioabl.ca
