The Northern Lights School District in the La Ronge area started the school year 14 teachers short and the President of the Saskatchewan Teachesr Federation blames the provincial government.

Patrick Maze says slashing the education budget led to the cancellation of the Northern Teacher Education Program which gave education students the option to train in the north.

Maze claims the lack of a suitable replacement has accelerated the problem.

He’s calling on the Education Minister to find and hire the teachers needed to fill the Northern Lights vacancies stressing it’s the students who are the ultimate losers in the process.

Maze feels that’s the interim solution and wants funding restored to the level that allowed teacher training in the north.

Teachers looking for work can apply on the front page of Northern Lights District website.