There is no rush to run a school: like the shortage of teachers, there is also a shortage of directors. The associations that represent them therefore want to send a message: they are not there just to “pick on the students”.
What there is to know
- The shortage does not only affect teachers: it has become more difficult to recruit school principals in recent years.
- Some leadership positions in schools have not yet been filled as of mid-October.
- To raise awareness of the profession, the two associations which represent 3,000 school principals are launching an advertising campaign this Monday.
There are around twenty management positions to be filled in Quebec, says the Fédération québécoise des directions d’establishment d’enseignement (FQDE). Knowing that there are 3,000 management positions, the shortage does not seem so acute.
“The relief banks are completely empty. Open positions at this time of year [scolaire]I have never seen that, it has never happened,” says Nicolas Prévost, president of the FQDE.
Do teachers want to become directors? “Not at all,” retorts Mr. Prévost.
This is also the opinion of the president of the Quebec Association of School Management Personnel (AQPDE).
We know that there are teachers who are hesitant to move into management, but who would probably do a good job.
Carl Ouellet, president of the Quebec Association of School Management Personnel
The conditions are certainly different. “We work an average of 53 hours per week, we have fewer vacations, employment conditions still need to be improved,” says Nicolas Prévost, who adds that school principals received “great recognition” during the last negotiations. .
The salary varies depending on the number of students. The average salary is $112,000 per year, but around ten “large multi-purpose” directorates with more than 2,000 students earn $140,000 per year, explains Mr. Prévost.
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
The president of the Quebec Federation of Educational Institution Directors (FQDE), Nicolas Prévost
The two management associations are launching an advertising campaign this week on television, radio and the web, to “promote” the profession.
Essential to be a teacher first, say the associations
To become a school principal, you must have a teaching certificate, but also have a minimum of classroom experience and a higher education diploma specializing in school management.
Given the teacher shortage, shouldn’t we allow people who don’t have teaching experience to become principals?
“We’re not there yet. There is still a pool of 80,000 teachers,” mentions Nicolas Prévost, who says that in a context of shortage where there are unqualified teachers, “the teacher background” of school principals is essential.
We continue to advocate that we must be teachers: we have a better idea of what happens in classes, we have a better idea of teacher management.
Carl Ouellet, president of the Quebec Association of School Management Personnel
Due to the shortage, he says, people who do not have a teaching certificate are given management positions, especially in vocational training and general adult education.
Not just there to “quibble with the students”
The FQDE commissioned a survey at the beginning of 2023 to find out what people’s perception of the work of school principalship is.
“We are given a lot of administrative work and that of arguing with students and behavioral issues…” says Nicolas Prévost.
What is work, then? “It’s the whole educational aspect of things, life in schools, student success, working on projects in French, in maths. This is our daily life, much more than managing problems,” explains Nicolas Prévost.