Ontario will allow retired teachers to work more days in light of ongoing pandemic-related staff shortages.
The new agreement with the Ontario Teachers' Federation will allow retirees to be re-employed in the public school system for 95 days until the end of June, nearly double the previous limit of 50.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce says in a statement that school boards were affected by staff shortages even before the Omicron variant drove up absence rates.
He says the change will help run remote school and in-person learning when students return to classes.
Students have been learning remotely this month as the Omicron virus variant drives up infections, and the government has said in-person classes might resume as early as Jan. 17, but has not yet given a firm return date.
The Ontario Teachers' Federation says it does not anticipate many retirees are interested in working ``in the current environment'' and says more measures should be taken to address the teacher shortage.