A recent CUPE-OSBCU survey has revealed a severe staffing crisis in schools across the Kawartha Pine Ridge, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic, and Trillium Lakelands school boards. Underfunding has led to job cuts, unmet student needs, and rising incidents of violence, according to Ontario education workers.
Education assistants, early childhood educators, custodians, maintenance staff, and administrative workers report being overwhelmed by growing demands. School offices are stretched thin, cleaning and maintenance are falling behind, and staff are experiencing violent incidents daily.
“The reality is that education workers are understaffed and underfunded,” said Joe Tigani, President of CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU). “Students and staff are suffering because of provincial funding cuts.”
According to the survey, real per-pupil funding cuts total over $75 million across the three boards this school year alone. The Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB faces at least $40 million in cuts, while Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic DSB and Trillium Lakelands DSB have lost $16 million and $19 million, respectively.
On Monday, February 24, OSBCU leaders and local education workers will share their experiences and discuss the survey’s findings at a press conference at the CUPE Peterborough Office at 10 a.m.
To read the full survey report, visit CUPE-OSBCU Services Survey.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
