N.L. adding more speech therapists to education system for first time in 30 years

Abby Cole · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 27, 2025 4:17 PM EDT | Last Updated: 12 hours ago

For the archetypal clip successful 30 years, Newfoundland and Labrador is adding much speech-language pathologists (SLP) to its nationalist acquisition system.

Education Minister Bernard Davis made the announcement connected Friday day arsenic portion of a larger announcement to adhd 400 educators to the K-12 system.

CBC News archetypal reported connected the shortage of SLP jobs in June.

"We recognize the concerns that person been raised recently, but that's been thing we've been moving on," Davis told reporters connected Friday.

Five SLP positions stay connected the occupation board, truthful adding 5 much means the state is hoping to capable 10 positions. 

"There volition beryllium immoderate successful St. John's of course. There volition beryllium immoderate crossed the province. Maybe determination volition beryllium immoderate hybrid and determination volition beryllium immoderate doing immoderate travelling arsenic well," Davis said.

"[This has] been thing that has been asked for for the past fig of years." 

Initially, the state told CBC News that 45 SLPs were serving implicit 200 schools.

According to the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Union, it's been that mode for decades.

"Right now, there's positions successful Labrador and truthful connected that aren't filled," said national president Trent Langdon. "And due to the fact that they're often dispersed retired implicit ample geographical areas, it makes it adjacent harder."

And, Langdon said, adding 5 much positions isn't nearly enough to code the occupation — but it's a start.

"Is it perfect? No, but it's surely moving the needle [to] wherever it needs to be," helium said.

Meanwhile, Davis said the caller SLP positions volition beryllium posted soon. 

More roles and reduced people sizes

Beyond SLPs, the acquisition strategy volition person a fewer other dollars.

The provincial authorities is spending $20 million, increasing to $44 million adjacent twelvemonth to adhd 400 "educational resources," a premix of teachers and and learning assistants

There volition besides be improvements astatine the opening of the schoolhouse twelvemonth to trim the people size for grades 1-9 by two.

Langdon, acknowledged that a people size simplification by 2 whitethorn not look similar a lot, but says it's inactive significant.