Teachers union skeptical as Nova Scotia schools poised to return to in-class learning

As 400 public schools in Nova Scotia prepare to resume in-person classes on Monday, the president of the province's teachers union says he has "severe doubts" as to whether they can stay open until the end of the week.
In an interview Sunday, Paul Wozney said he believes the government has been "overselling" its plan to help schools remain open as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to sweep through the province.
"I think people forget, but before the holidays we couldn't keep the doors open to in-person learning, we didn't have enough staff," said Wozney. ""The pressure that Omicron presents hasn't lessened, it's gotten worse."
The province reported 696 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and 627 cases on Saturday.
"I have severe doubts about whether or not we're going to be able to sustain in-person learning until the end of this week," Wozney said.
Nova Scotia schools have been closed to students since in-person classes ended on Dec. 18 and have been learning remotely since instruction resumed on Jan. 10.
Wozney said the province should exercise caution and continue with remote learning until case numbers are more manageable as has been done in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Students are not scheduled to return to in-class learning in New Brunswick until Jan. 31, while Newfoundland and Labrador and P.E.I. are holding off on a return until at least Jan. 24.
Meanwhile, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston admitted last week that school closures due to outbreaks and staff shortages are a possibility.
But Education Minister Becky Druhan told reporters following a cabinet meeting Thursday that plans are in place to respond to whatever operational challenges arise.
"We are putting plans in place provincewide and additionally at a school level to make sure we are prepared as well as we possibly can," Druhan said. "We will do our best to work through (challenges) and to ensure that we have kids in school ... as much as we possibly can."
Druhan said that includes assigning administrative staff from school districts to the classroom in the event of teacher shortages due to illness or the need to self-isolate.
Druhan said other steps taken include the installation of portable ventilation units in classrooms. Three-ply cloth masks will also be available to teachers and students, she added.
Despite the contingency plans Wozney still questions whether there will be enough staff available to teach should in-school virus outbreaks occur.
He said part of the problem is an ever shrinking pool of available substitute teachers, an issue that was evident before the pandemic began.
As an example, Wozney cited the Halifax area which he said went from a list of as many as 2,000 active substitutes to just below 1,000 after the pandemic began. He said the shortages are worse in rural areas of the province.
"We do not have the people to sustain in-person learning for any prolonged period of time," he said. "We've made that abundantly clear to the (education) department."
Wozney added that he doesn't know whether there is a plan to cover off custodial or administrative staff who may be absent.
"It strains all reason that we are going to put our youngest, least vaccinated Nova Scotians in this situation and effectively hope for the best," he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario woman says daughter was discriminated against over face mask
An Ontario woman believes her daughter was discriminated against after she was allegedly kicked out of a local activity centre over her choice to wear a face mask.

Price of gas remains high across Canada heading into long weekend
Canadians may find a lot of long faces at the pump heading into the long weekend as gas prices across the country remain high.
Officials confirm 10 cases of acute severe hepatitis in children in Canada
Ten children in Canada were found to be suffering from acute severe hepatitis not caused by known hepatitis viruses over a nearly six-month period recently, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced Friday.
'Hurts like hell': What goes into the price of gas in Canada
With the price of gas rising above $2 per litre and setting new records in Canada this year, CTVNews.ca looks at what goes into the price per litre of gasoline and where the situation could go from here.
'This is an unusual situation': Feds monitoring monkeypox cases in Canada
Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the federal government is monitoring monkeypox cases and their chains of transmission after two cases were confirmed in this country.
'Fight for a stronger Alberta': Kenney comments for first time since announcing resignation
Premier Jason Kenney spoke publicly Friday for the first time since dropping the bombshell announcement that he plans to step down as UCP leader and premier of Alberta.
WHO calls emergency meeting as monkeypox cases cross 100 in Europe
The World Health Organization was due to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the recent outbreak of monkeypox, a viral infection more common to west and central Africa, after more than 100 cases were confirmed or suspected in Europe.
Decision to ban Huawei and ZTE from 5G wasn't easy, PM Trudeau says
On the heels of news that Canada is banning Huawei Technologies and ZTE from participating in the country’s 5G wireless networks, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the decision wasn't easy to make. The prime minister also defended the timing of the decision, saying that while it will be years before all use of products from these Chinese companies will be outlawed, it's happening before the country is even more interconnected by the next-generation telecommunications infrastructure.
Russia claims to have taken full control of Mariupol
Russia claimed to have captured Mariupol on Friday in what would be its biggest victory yet in its war with Ukraine, following a nearly three-month siege that reduced much of the strategic port city to a smoking ruin, with over 20,000 civilians feared dead.