Even if school started again this week, there are still 2,707 teachers missing from Quebec classrooms. Why? We asked the Minister of Education himself!
The situation is not new. Last year, too, there were not enough teachers at the start of the school year. But the number of teachers to be found just before the start of school was greater this year.
How come there is such a shortage of teachers? Part of the problem is that there are more and more students! At the start of the 2022 school year, there were almost 100,000 more students in Quebec public schools than eight years earlier. That’s a lot. Not enough new teachers have graduated from university in recent years to compensate. We also know that many teachers have chosen to change careers or retire. The result: a shortage of teachers!
It is possible that this reality affects you. So we asked someone who knows the file well: Quebec’s Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville.
Three questions for Minister Drainville
Should I be worried?
“No, you don’t have to worry. You will have a teacher for the start of classes.”
Will I have a teacher who has the required qualifications to support me well during my school year?
“The whole world is short of teachers. Unfortunately, we are [aussi] affected by this phenomenon. This is why some teachers in our classes have studied, for example, chemistry or literature rather than teaching. That said, they will still be able to teach you everything you need during your school year.
What is being done to improve the situation?
“I work every day to improve the situation. Starting this year, you will see that several classroom assistants will come to give your teacher a helping hand. […] [Cette année]your teachers were able to know earlier which class they were going to teach. This allowed us to have more time to find people for the vacant positions. We have [aussi] is calling on retired teachers to come back to our classes. Not to mention that, to attract more teachers, we have increased their salaries. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a great start to the school year! I am sure that you will have a great time with your friends and all the staff at your school.
The minister steals the words from our mouths! Have a good start to the school year and don’t forget: your curiosity is your superpower!
By Caroline Bouffard
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