BԪַ

Skip to content

Surrey union decries BԪַepidemicBԪַ level shortage of education assistants in B.C.

Children sit with tablets for hours when EAs arenBԪַt available, CUPE says
9510652_web1_class
The union representing 4,000 education support staff in Surrey says the shortage of education assistants means some students are left alone with tablets for hours. (Pixabay file photo)

SURREY BԪַ After SurreyBԪַs school district recently revealed a huge shortage of on-call teachers, the union representing education assistants say the situation is far worse for them.

On Nov. 22nd alone, 101 education assistant (EA) positions went unfilled in Surrey when staff were off sick or otherwise absent, CUPE 728 president Ryan Groundwater told the .

BԪַThe number of EA positions not filled grew from 44 in September to almost 800 in October,BԪַ said Groundwater, who represents the union representing 4,000 education support staff in Surrey, including 1,500 education assistants.

BԪַAnd this month, weBԪַve already hit 700 EA positions not filled, with another nine school days to go.BԪַ

But itBԪַs not just Surrey, Groundwater said.

BԪַThis is province-wide. ItBԪַs an epidemic.BԪַ

See related:

See related:

Groundwater said the shortfall of education assistants means some cover five or six students at a time.

BԪַUnder these conditions, an EA may not physically be able to pay close enough attention to each student to catch behaviour before it escalates into a problem,BԪַ he said. BԪַThey are not able to give each student the attention needed.BԪַ

Groundwater blames the former Liberal government due to 16 years of BԪַchronicBԪַ underfunding.

BԪַWe have to hold the former government accountable,BԪַ he said. BԪַIt led to these shortagesBԪַ We have a more progressive government now but it will take time.BԪַ

Groundwater said the solution could lie in how EAs are paid.

BԪַCurrently full-time EAs in high schools work 32 hours and those in elementary schools work only 30 hours each week,BԪַ he explained. BԪַBy providing more hours for EAs so that they could earn a living wage, we would attract and retain more EAs in our system. Addressing incidences of violence in classrooms, of which EAs take the brunt, would also help draw more people into the field.BԪַ

Finally, he said he is BԪַoptimisticBԪַ there will be new funding in the NDPBԪַs B.C. budget in February.

See also:

See also:

The unionBԪַs vice president Marcey Campbell said sheBԪַs seen first-hand how the shortage affects children in need.

BԪַIBԪַve seen so many kids that are basically left alone when their EAs are being pulled or not replaced. IBԪַve seen kids that have, unfortunately, sat in front of a tablet for a few hours because there isnBԪַt that support for them,BԪַ she told the Now-Leader.

Campbell explained EAs support children with behaviour concerns, medical concerns, toileting or mobility concerns, children with disabilities like autism and ADHD and BԪַeven typical kids that sometimes just need a little bit of extra help are going unserviced.BԪַ

Campbell said while teacher shortages are often in the news, EAs tend to take a back seat.

BԪַWeBԪַve always kind of been on the back burner. ThatBԪַs why weBԪַre in this horrendous situation.BԪַ

The Now-Leader has asked the Surrey school district for comment.



amy.reid@surreynowleader.com

Like us on and follow Amy on





(or

BԪַ

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }