The wrong decision on teacher standards

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/01/2025 (240 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba government’s recent decision to lower the academic requirements applicable to those seeking to teach in schools throughout the province has generated a significant amount of controversy. New information relating that decision, and to a more reasonable option the government rejected, raise additional concerns as to the correctness of that decision.

Last October, the Kinew government announced a series of regulatory amendments aimed at streamlining the teacher certification process. Pursuant to those changes, any person who wants to teach in Manitoba schools is no longer required to specialize in certain subject areas — referred to as major and minor “teachables” — during their post-secondary studies.

Prior to the amendments, prospective teachers were required to complete a minimum number of credits in “teachable” subjects. They could choose a major from 20 core subject areas, including mathematics, French, native studies, art and phys-ed. A different minor, chosen from a longer list of options, was also required.

In defence of the amendments, the government claimed they would reduce a teacher shortage in the province, and would also increase diversity, reduce barriers and streamline the certification of internationally educated professionals. It was also argued that the changes would align Manitoba’s teacher certification standards with those currently in place in other provinces.

That may have been the spin, but critics of the changes contend that the changes go too far and will inevitably harm the quality of education provided in Manitoba schools.

They say it is impossible for Manitoba’s students to receive a top-notch education in mathematics, English and science if the teachers of those subjects do not possess an adequate level of expertise in the subject areas they are teaching. They argue that the removal of competency requirements for teachers jeopardizes the futures of Manitoba children.

Their argument grew stronger earlier this week, when it was revealed that the amendments implemented by the government last fall are more sweeping than the changes recommended by a large group of education experts that had been consulted by the government regarding potential changes to teacher certification standards.

Education department documents obtained via freedom of information requests reveal that the participants in the consultation process had a wide range of preferences, but that senior education department bureaucrats were recommending a middle-of-the-road approach last June.

Under that approach, eligible majors in the high school stream would be refined, and the related credit hour minimum would be reduced from 30 to 24. The minimum elementary language course requirements would be maintained, but the requirements for math, science and social sciences would be halved to three credit hours from six. Teachables at the K-8 level would be eliminated, as would minor teachables in early years, middle years and senior years.

Instead of following a plan that clearly involved a considerable amount of study, consultation and reflection, the government chose a far more radical approach, by entirely eliminating the requirement that prospective teachers possess a basic level of competency in core academic areas.

It is far from clear why the government made that choice. A government spokesperson says that the strategy outlined above “was determined not to be the preferred approach of the sector,” but that is merely stating the obvious. Absent from the response is a cogent, compelling explanation why the province would water down our province’s teacher certification standards to such an extreme degree.

Even more noteworthy is the absence of any indication that the government gave serious thought to the impact that a drastic reduction in teacher competency standards would have on the quality of education provided in the province’s classrooms.

For many years, Manitoba students have performed poorly in math, English and science on national standardized tests. It is reasonable to infer that their performance is directly linked to the quality of education they receive in our province’s schools. Given that likelihood, it is difficult to understand why the province would implement measures that would appear likely to worsen the situation.

On this issue, the government has moved in the wrong direction and must reverse course. They can’t improve the quality of education — nor improve our children’s educational outcomes — by reducing the quality of their teachers.

Instead of lowering teacher competency standards, the government should be raising them. Manitoba’s children deserve better.