HALIFAX: The Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) is calling for a coordinated plan to ensure students and teachers can work in a safe and healthy environment. The union raised this demand following a discussion by the Standing Committee on the province’s School Capital Plan. NSTU President Peter Day praised the government’s long-term investments toward developing school infrastructure.
However, he stressed the need for a concurrent staffing plan to support the new facilities. Peter Day stated that as new schools are constructed and developed, it is crucial to ensure there are enough teachers and specialists available to meet the needs of the students. “Buildings are important, but the people inside them make learning possible. It is the teachers, not the buildings, who teach the students,” he added.
The government’s School Capital Plan had previously faced criticism from the Auditor General last summer. Kim Adair had pointed out that the government lacked clarity in making decisions about where to construct new schools and failed to anticipate the need for future school development.
