Teachers and students bid farewell on Friday as over 700,000 children in Alberta face uncertainty regarding their return to school due to an impending strike next week. With 51,000 teachers set to go on strike, public, Catholic, and francophone schools across Alberta are expected to shut down on Monday. This labor action has left many parents in a scramble to secure child care and explore alternative learning options for their children.
Meagan Parisian, the vice-president of the Alberta School Councils Association, highlighted the anxiety felt by parents as the strike looms. She emphasized the need for community support and collaboration during this challenging time, especially for parents who lack the option to work from home. Parisian expressed concerns about learning disruptions, particularly for high school students preparing for exams and post-secondary education applications.
Adanech Sahilie, the founder of the Immigrant Outreach Society, noted the added difficulties faced by newcomer parents in Canada. The organization has been inundated with calls from concerned parents, especially those who recently secured jobs that could be impacted by the need for child care. Sahilie highlighted the sense of helplessness experienced by many parents in this situation.
To assist families affected by the strike, the provincial government in Alberta announced financial support for parents of children aged 12 or younger, offering $150 per week during the strike period. Additionally, subsidies for full-time child care for children in grades one through six will be increased to summer rates after five consecutive days of teacher strikes. However, families with older children or specialized support needs may not benefit from these subsidies.
Moreover, the province plans to provide an online learning toolkit aligned with the K-12 curriculum and is temporarily lifting the credit limit on distance education. With tutoring centers overwhelmed by requests from parents seeking educational support during the strike, private businesses in Calgary are organizing daytime programs to assist parents. Furthermore, heritage sites and museums in Alberta are offering free admission to children aged 18 and under during the strike period.
As classes are set to pause on Monday in the absence of a last-minute deal, teachers like Marliss Visser, with 28 years of teaching experience, are emotional about saying goodbye to their students. The disruption to routines and relationships built during the month adds to the emotional strain on both teachers and students.
