Noon-hour supervision is being withdrawn for one day in schools across Saskatchewan on Thursday.
The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation said teachers will not be available to supervise students who are eating lunch at school or taking part in noon-hour activities, adding that the teachers will be leaving schools during that time.
According to the STF, lunch break supervision is provided by teachers on a voluntary basis.
“A decade of government funding cuts has meant parents in several school divisions are forced to pay out-of-pocket fees of $100 or more for their kids to stay at school over the noon hour,” says Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation president Samantha Becotte.
“School boards face the impossible task of balancing government funding shortfalls and the rising costs of services that students need. Students and families are caught in the middle, and I encourage every parent and caregiver in the province to let our government officials know how they feel about that.”
The STF said that anyone concerned about this job action should contact their MLAs and elected school board trustees.
On Sunday, a second round of rotating teacher strikes was also announced by the STF for Wednesday.
The following school divisions will be subject to strike action on Wednesday:
- Creighton School Division
- Northern Lights School Division
- Prairie Spirit School Division
- Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools
- Saskatoon Public Schools
Strike action will also include Conseil des Écoles Fransaskoises schools and Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre teachers who work at a school or regional campus within the area of the listed school divisions.
More to come
— with files from Andrew Benson