Nearly 200 uncertified teachers now filling N.B. teacher shortage

The New Brunswick Teachers' Association is raising the alarm over what it calls a "tidal wave of departures" and a rise in the number of uncertified teachers. 

In September, there were 132 people teaching in anglophone schools without education degrees. In January, that number had grown to 192. 

"These figures should concern every parent and every policymaker in this province," said Peter Lagacy, president of the New Brunswick Teachers' Association.

"We must prioritize certified teaching professionals. That means ensuring every classroom is led by a certified teacher," he said.

"These challenges are not abstract. They have real consequences for students, families and the future of our province."

This is not the first time Lagacy has made a plea for support from the provincial government. In June, Lagacy warned there would be a shortfall of more than 500 anglophone teachers for the following school year. 

In September, he announced schools were still 32 teachers short, with 132 people stepping in without education degrees. And in December, he appealed to the Holt government to address the recruitment and retention of teachers.

WATCH | 'We must act before it's too late,' says NBTA president:

Growing number of uncertified educators should ‘concern every parent,’ teachers’ association says

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Three of four anglophone school districts are forced to rely on uncertified educators as New Brunswick struggles with a teacher shortage.

"While I feel like stating these facts may sound like a broken record … understand me when I say that teachers are not thriving, most are merely surviving," Lagacy said.

Lagacy said nearly 1,000 teachers are expected to retire from anglophone classrooms within three years. That number is expected to grow to nearly 1,400 teachers — or 25 per cent — within five years.

Meanwhile, less than half of bachelor of education graduates in the province are choosing to stay and teach in New Brunswick, he said. 

Lagacy is calling for targeted investments, which includes increasing compensation, expanding B.Ed. program seats, funding practicum placements, and offering tuition rebates to education graduates who commit to teaching in New Brunswick public schools.

Education programs expanding seat numbers

St. Thomas University offers an 11-month bachelor of education degree. Starting last year, it increased available seats from 90 to 105.

Grant Williams is the director of the School of Education at St. Thomas. He said the increase in enrolment is part of a three-year initiative, with funding from Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour to help meet the increased demand for teachers. 

Williams said it's allowed St. Thomas University to "hire some limited term appointment professors to come in and allow us to teach some more sections of courses and have some larger class sizes."

"We're doing what we can to try to chip away at a big problem," he said.

"I know it might not sound like much of an increase going from 90 to 105, but that puts quite a bit more strain on a school of education, particularly a smaller one like ours." 

Williams said he has no doubt the uncertified teachers working in New Brunswick schools are doing the best job they can, but "we need to do better."

Someone jumping into the job on an as-needed basis wouldn't have suitable training or practical experience,  "where they're supervised and monitored and mentored on a daily basis," Williams said.

"The skills and the mindset and the philosophies and the practical skills that are learned through an education degree are crucial."

The University of New Brunswick offers a 10-month bachelor of education program and will also be increasing their capacity beginning next year. In September, UNB will add 15 more seats in the program to bring the total number of seats to 115.

Mary Gene Saudelli, dean of the Faculty of Education at UNB, said the program offers "the science and art of learning across the lifespan."

"Our bachelor of education program prepares students to be teachers in the classroom who put the students first, put the students and their needs first in relation to learning."

Saudelli said the university is also developing an online bachelor of education for skilled trades that will have an additional 36 seats. She believes that will likely be rolling out in the 2026-2027 academic year.

She said the program is designed to address the critical shortage of B.Ed. educated skilled trades teachers in K-12 schools in New Brunswick. It is designed as a first degree, "focused on trades from culinary arts to electrical wiring and carpentry."

Teacher retention and recruitment strategy coming

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Claire Johnson was not available for an interview today. In a statement, she said her department "is continuing to work with education stakeholders, including our partners at the NBTA, to address issues in our education system, including retention and recruitment."

"These issues did not appear overnight, and they will not be fixed overnight, but instead will require teamwork from many stakeholders, including government, educators, families, and communities."

Johnson said in the coming weeks, her department will release a teacher retention and recruitment strategy that has been created with input from numerous education stakeholders, including the NBTA.