Catholic Teachers Welcome Changes to Teachers’ College; Call for Further Collaboration and Clarity
“Catholic teachers welcome the government’s decision to move forward with a condensed, 12-month teachers’ college education program with enhanced in-class practicum opportunities. Teacher recruitment and retention is an issue Ontario educators have been raising for some time. While it is encouraging to see government action being taken, we know this change alone will not solve the crisis.
The government has again failed to acknowledge or address the fundamental issues impacting our schools that are making it harder to attract and keep teachers in the profession. Eight years of chronic underfunding, growing class sizes, increased violence in schools, and a lack of supports is placing enormous strain on teachers and students alike. Unless these issues are addressed meaningfully, recruitment and retention challenges will persist.
Even after this announcement, there are still a significant number of unanswered questions around implementation. Revising ministry-level program requirements and allowing universities enough time to redesign their courses will be challenging within the proposed timeline. The government has also promised a smooth transition for candidates already enrolled in the current program, but those assurances must be backed by a clear and transparent plan; and this government continues to ignore the opportunity for effective implementation through collaboration and planning with teachers.
As Catholic teachers working in the classroom every day, we offer direct, practical knowledge about what new teachers need to succeed. This government must engage in meaningful consultation and collaboration with us, as well as other educators and experts, to ensure this new teachers’ college model is implemented successfully.
Catholic teachers look forward to reviewing the details of the government’s legislation and would welcome the opportunity to work in collaboration to ensure all changes move Ontario towards a stronger publicly funded education system.”
René Jansen in de Wal
President, Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association