The call by the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, for retired teachers to come and remedy the shortage of staff in schools for the next school year arouses mixed reactions, with former teachers believing that Quebec “adds insult to insult”.
“I find it appalling that he comes to beg retirees,” says Alain Tremblay, who taught for 34 years and was a high school Ethics and Religious Culture teacher when he retired. “If we had taken care of the teachers, if the government had acted with respect towards the teachers and if we had treated them with more sensitivity, we would not be here. »
The state of the network has deteriorated since the early 2000s for various reasons, he believes. “People are out of breath” and it has “become extremely difficult to teach”, in particular because of the integration of pupils in difficulty into ordinary classes and services “which have diminished”.
“We treat teachers in an unacceptable way and afterwards, we come back to them as if nothing had happened,” he complains. Whereas this is a situation that has been created by successive governments. »
Like other retired teachers, he contacted The duty after receiving a letter signed by the Minister of Education dated May 23.
“The great challenge of the scarcity of labor still requires an unprecedented commitment on everyone’s part,” writes Bernard Drainville. Indeed, the preparation for the 2023-2024 school year is underway, and everyone is busy filling the available positions within educational organizations. »
The minister asks for help in supply teaching, filling a teaching position or performing other tasks. “Note that, subject to the provisions in force in the various educational bodies, financial incentives may apply,” we write.
A warm welcome
The letter arouses mixed reactions, recognizes Micheline Germain, president of the Association of retirees and retirees of education and other public services of Quebec (AREQ-CSQ), and which represents thousands of retired teachers.
“Are teachers going to respond to this call? I don’t know, underlines the one who herself was a teacher. Me, what I hear is that many tell me: “Phew, I’m glad I got out of it.” But there are others who say they will respond positively. And those who go there, they go there with heart. »
The government has been making this type of call for help since the pandemic in 2020 and retired teachers “responded”. But the current situation is different and could be akin to “emotional blackmail”, she believes. “We appeal to the sense of mutual aid and commitment of retirees. But whether it is up to us to support the school organization, that, I can understand that the teachers are wondering, ”continues Micheline Germain.
The latter regrets that the AREQ was not consulted before this mailing. “Twice, we met the previous Minister of Education, to see how we could inform retirees, as we have networks, she said. But the government sent a letter directly and we couldn’t prepare the ground or see with the people. »
The Journal of Quebec reported a few weeks ago that discussions were underway in the Minister’s office to renew in 2023-2024 a measure which allows retired teachers who agree to return to be paid at the maximum of their salary scale, without being penalized on their performance of retirement.
These discussions are still ongoing, said Friday at the Duty the firm, which was unable to provide further details.