New teachers, resources will help students succeed

The province continues to invest in Island students by adding 27 new teaching positions this coming fall.

The new teachers will reduce class sizes, address class composition challenges, and help deliver new programs.

“High-quality education allows our individuals and communities to succeed and our economy and population to grow in Prince Edward Island,” said Premier Wade MacLauchlan. “This new annual investment in teachers builds on several other initiatives to help students succeed, such as the recent addition of EAL teachers, educational assistants, and new student well-being supports.”

Most of the positions will be used to provide more support to classroom teachers who are struggling with class composition challenges. The additional staffing will be allocated by the education authorities based on school populations and specific needs in classrooms, giving all students fair and equitable access to education resources.

“Class composition is the number one need identified by teachers, and these new resources will provide classroom teachers with more support to plan and deliver programming to all students in their classrooms,” Education, Early Learning and Culture Minister Doug Currie said.  “When the new positions are combined with other positions freed-up through retirements this year, we are looking at more than 60 young, new faces in education, which will have a tremendous impact on the learning environment.”

Students will also benefit from several new initiatives in the fall through the increased public engagement in education.

“While the school review conversations were challenging at times,” the minister said, “they allowed us to address some significant structural issues and to allocate resources in the coming year to areas that will have the most impact on teaching and learning.”

The rezoning recommendations will result in more balanced school size in the Charlottetown area, where there were many overcrowded and under-utilized schools.

A new student well-being initiative will be introduced in September to support the social and emotional well-being of students. When fully implemented in three years, the program will be supported by annual funding of $5 million.

Media contact:
Jean Doherty
Education, Early Learning and Culture
902-314-5702,
jmdoherty@gov.pe.ca