Dozens of teaching graduates from McGill University have been waiting for several months for their certificates because, due to computer problems and lack of personnel, the university is delaying in sending their documents to the Ministry of Education.
What there is to know
- McGill University students who have completed their studies to become teachers have been waiting for several months to receive their certificates.
- In the midst of a shortage of teachers, they denounce this situation which prevents them from accessing certain positions.
- McGill University says it acted with “diligence” and says it is a situation caused by “software problems”.
Last December, like other students, Vincent J. Carbonneau completed his qualifying master’s degree in teaching (Master in the Arts of Teaching and Learning), which allows him to become a teacher in the province’s secondary schools.
Since then, he has been waiting for McGill University to forward his file to the Ministry of Education so that he can be issued his teaching diploma.
However, after months, the coveted document does not arrive for 45 master’s degree holders.
Vincent J. Carbonneau qualifies the situation as “unacceptable” and explains that the fact that he does not have his certificate blocks his access to certain positions in public schools. “I applied to some private schools and each time, I am asked for my certificate,” he continues.
On hold since February, students have repeatedly written to McGill University’s education department for explanations. On May 16, an employee replied that due to “lack of employees in the department”, there had been delays in sending files to the Ministry.
All files will be submitted by the end of the month and students will then be notified, she adds in this email obtained by The Press.
“Software Problems”
At McGill University, it is explained that this delay is attributable to “software and personnel problems”.
A university-wide software change for graduate students has resulted in an unforeseen complication affecting student records.
Excerpt from an unsigned email from McGill University
Have the student files finally been sent to the Ministry? They have been “manually compiled” and are “in the process of being sent”, we are told.
“McGill is not a poor university. To tell me that it’s because there’s a lack of employees… for me, it’s an institutional problem,” says Mr. J. Carbonneau, who adds that in the midst of a teacher shortage, the situation is “ridiculous”.
There is clearly a lack of qualified teachers in the province. In a report tabled last week, the Auditor General of Quebec found that nearly 30,000 teachers, or a quarter of the workforce, taught in Quebec schools without having a teaching certificate.
A letter while waiting
McGill University has provided students with a letter certifying that they have completed their studies, but school service centers cannot recognize it as an official certificate. “Several students have already taken advantage of it,” we are told.
“It is not a legal document. I work at the Montreal school service center and I cannot be on the priority lists because I do not have the patent. I explained it all to McGill, but they don’t seem to take us seriously,” says another graduate, who requested anonymity because he fears his public outing will harm his research. ‘job.
Exasperated, he contacted the Ministry of Education on Monday to ask them to intervene.
For Vincent J. Carbonneau, a teaching certificate has greater value than a university degree. It’s “professional recognition”, says the prof.