The number of non-legally qualified teachers continues to break records in the Québec school network. In some schools in the Outaouais, up to every second teacher has not obtained a teaching diploma The newspaper.
Across the province, the number of uncertified teachers hired under a commitment tolerance totaled 4,783, according to the latest figures for 2021-2022. This is a peak since the Department of Education began collecting this data in 2007 (see box).
However, the situation varies greatly from region to region. At the Hauts-Bois-de-l’Outaouais School Service Centre, located in a rural area, 41% of the teachers are unqualified. This proportion takes into account regular full-time teachers and part-time contracts, but not substitutes, specifies HR manager Nadine Carpentier.
Recruitment is particularly difficult in certain sectors of the territory, notably in Pontiac’s MRC, where the proportion of undergraduate teachers in certain schools can reach as high as 50%. “It’s very high,” says Ms. Carpentier.
This proportion could increase further in the coming weeks. “Once I have sick teachers, I don’t have to hire legally qualified teachers to replace them,” she says.
Their profiles are very diverse. Some have bachelor’s degrees in math, science or literature, others were daycare teachers before going to kindergarten (see box).
“We have to hire several new ones every year. These are people who sometimes come to try themselves as teachers, both at primary and secondary level, ”says the human resources manager.
The challenge can be immense for these newcomers who need to learn all about how school works. They will often “knock on the next door” to ask colleagues for help.
“Everyone has gone to school, but not everyone knows how to write a report card or plan their lessons according to their progress,” explains Caroline Paquette, vice-president of the staff union for education in Hautes-Rivières.
“It’s sure to cause irritation, the other teachers find it hard because their dish is already full,” she adds.
Paid to go to school
To address the situation, this autumn the Center de services scolaire des Hauts-Bois-de-l’Outaouais, in collaboration with the union, set up pilot projects, funded under an agreement, to find local solutions to the shortage of school staff.
In order to enable unqualified teachers to return to their studies, this service center offers them the opportunity to complete their studies part-time for a fee. In addition, the employer reimburses certain travel expenses and, under certain conditions, even part of the tuition fees.
“The incentives have to be strong to convince them to do an apprenticeship because the shortage is so great that they are guaranteed to work anyway,” explains Caroline Paquette.
Likewise, experienced teachers are released to look after newcomers, acting as mentors and accompanying them on a daily basis.
More than 600 teachers are still missing
Three months after the start of the school year, more than 600 teachers are still missing, and their recruitment is now only possible through the use of non-legally qualified teachers, says the school management.
According to the latest figures from Le Journal, 109 regular full-time positions and 525 apprenticeship contracts remain unfilled. However, all indications are that the portrait is actually higher, with only 56 of the 72 school service centers reporting figures on the subject to the Ministry of Education.
To fill these positions in the coming weeks, service centers have no choice but to turn to teachers who do not have a teaching certificate, explains Carl Ouellet, president of the Association québécoise du school management staff. Legally qualified candidates’ banks are dry.
“We’ve known for years that we’re heading for a labor shortage, and that’s where we’ve been hit hard,” he said. There are no 50 solutions, these people have to be taken. You have to accompany them, otherwise nobody is in the classes, it’s no better. We have no choice but to turn back and find solutions and help these people provide quality service.”
In several schools, particularly in Greater Quebec City, about 30% of teachers and childcare workers are not legally qualified, says Mr. Ouellet.
Among these newcomers are sometimes immigrants who have teacher training and previous class experience in their country of origin, he points out.
But there are some who have to start “from scratch” and learn everything: the pedagogical approach, evaluation, classroom management, etc. “We support them as much as we can, we put a special education teacher to help them in the classroom,” says Mr Ouellet. We can manage with the means.”
A summit for at least 15 years
Quebec began compiling data on non-legally qualified teachers who received recognition in 2007. Their numbers are now peaking, Le Journal noted when consulting figures released as part of a request for access to information.
Here is the data for the last five years:
- 2017-2018: 1332
- 2018-2019: 2048
- 2019-2020: 2507
- 2020-2021: 3757
- 2021-2022: 4783
Non-legally trained teachers after their training:
- Abitur: 0.1%
- University degree: 10%
- Abitur: 61%
- Championship: 9.7%
- Others: 18.5%
Source: Ministry of Education
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