Unqualified experienced teachers will have to give up teaching next year because “commitment tolerances” cannot be extended beyond 10 years, a rule questioned by one teacher in connection with the shortage.
• Also read – Cell phones in class: Private school teachers are also calling for a ban in Quebec
Ann-Marie Pinoul has been teaching English, a second language, for almost 15 years, including five years at the same school.
For the past decade it has received a “commitment tolerance” issued by the Department of Education, which allows a person without teaching qualifications to still obtain a contract in the school network if a qualified teacher is not available.
From year to year, the woman who became “Miss Pinoul” has “plugged holes” and “saved situations,” she says, all while learning a profession that fascinates her.
Ann-Marie Pinoul teaches English, photo MARTIN ALARIE
However, the Ministry of Education recently informed her that this would be her last year as a teacher at its service center in the Laurentians, as under current rules her commitment tolerance cannot be extended beyond 10 years.
Given the current bottlenecks in the school network, “this is a complete lack of understanding,” she says.
The situation seems “absurd” to her as she will likely be replaced next year by another unqualified teacher who will have less experience than her.
Back to top
In order to achieve a new tolerance for commitment, he would have to complete training that leads to a teaching diploma.
However, Ms. Pinoul has not completed the bachelor’s degree in teaching that she began a few years ago, so she cannot register for the qualifying master’s degree program or for the newly established shorter training courses.
She intends to take steps with the University of Sherbrooke to enroll in the new Parcours Prof training, which allows unqualified teachers to have their acquired knowledge recognized, but this training does not currently lead to a teaching certificate.
“I want to do an apprenticeship, but I feel like I’m back to square one,” complains this single mother who can’t afford to go back to studying full-time.
Promote training
The Ministry of Education specifies that the ten-year deadline “is aimed at encouraging non-legally qualified persons to enroll in training programs to obtain their teaching certificate”.
However, it is impossible to know how many unqualified teachers will have to give up teaching next year because they have reached the maximum duration of ten years, as this data is not collected by Quebec.
At the Fédération des Centers de Services Scolaire du Québec, we believe that training opportunities need to be diversified to make them more accessible to unqualified teachers like Ms. Pinoul.
It could be “interesting to propose recognition of previous knowledge in combination with a qualifying university degree for people without a bachelor’s degree,” says a written answer.
However, extending commitment tolerances beyond 10 years would not be a preferred solution as this route could “demotivate certain candidates” from taking steps to qualify, the association states.
This position is also shared by the Fédération québécoise des Directions d’establishment d’enseignement.
The number of unqualified teachers in Quebec schools has risen steadily in recent years. Last year, the Ministry of Education granted almost 6,000 commitment tolerances (see details below).
Unqualified teachers are increasing
Number of hiring tolerances for unqualified teachers: 5921 (in the period 2022-2023)
Educational level of the holders of a commitment tolerance:
• High school diploma: 3
• Specialist diploma: 448
• University diploma: 1,084
• High school diploma: 2,683
• Championship: 552
• Others: 1,151
Source: Ministry of Education
Can you share information about this story?
Write to us or call us directly at 1 800-63SCOOP.