Provincial government addresses concerns over potential BCTF full-scale walkout
By Nelson Daily Staff
Teachers head to the voting booth today and Tuesday to consider whether teachers want to launch a full-scale walkout.
The British Columbia Teachers Federation (BCTF) has said the walk out would begin Monday, June 16.
The ease the stress of the full-scale strike, the provincial government published a press release on their website to give parents a heads up of what to expect and address concerns over student ability to write final exams, receive final report cards, and transition to the next grade or on to post-secondary.
“The Ministry of Education and the British Columbia Public School Employers Association (BCPSEA) want to assure parents that every effort is being made to ensure the strike does not disadvantage students, nor delay their transition to the next grade or on to post-secondary,” the release said.
“A full walkout may impact the last nine days of school before summer break begins on June 27, 2014.”
Here is some information to give parents greater certainty about what to expect and the potential impact on their children:
What this means for students in Kindergarten through Grade 9:
- Schools will be closed.
- Parents with children who need supervision should make child care arrangements.
- Parents will receive final report cards, but in some cases the reports may be more abbreviated than normal.
What this means for students in Grades 10, 11 and 12:
- There are fifteen provincial exam courses scheduled between June 16 to 26, 2014 (see further details below).
- It is expected that secondary schools will only be open for the purpose of administering exams.
- Picket lines may be present; students in rural areas may not have normal school bus service.
- Every effort will be made for provincial exams to be marked and final course marks conveyed to students and parents in a timely way.
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BCPSEA has applied to the Labour Relations Board to have all services required for the completion of report cards deemed essential including:
- preparing, invigilating and marking of school based and provincial exams; and
- compilation, entry, and submission of final grades.
What this means for graduating students planning to attend post-secondary in September:
- Most students planning to attend post-secondary programs in September are pre-admitted based on their current marks.
- B.C. post-secondary institutions are aware there is a chance that the strike might interfere with the normal flow of final student marks.
Provincial exam courses to be administered June 16 – 26, 2014:
June 16-26*:
Apprenticeship and Workplace Mathematics 10
Foundations of Mathematics and Pre-Calculus 10
* Schools may schedule these sessions at any time during the week
June 18:
Science 10 (only for schools that require an early session)
Apprenticeship and Workplace Mathematics 10
Foundations of Mathematics and Pre-Calculus 10
June 19:
BC First Nations Studies 12
June 20:
English 12
English 10 First Peoples
Communications 12
Français langue première 10
June 23:
Français langue seconde-immersion 12
Français langue première 12
Science 10
Civic Studies 11
June 24:
English 12 First Peoples
English 10
Social Studies 11
