The Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, is scheduled to meet the media on Friday morning to provide an update on how many teachers are missing from the network as the school year approaches.
On social media, the Minister specified that “in particular, the positions to be filled will be discussed.”
For several days now, education network stakeholders have been saying that they don’t have access to the latest data on the number of positions still vacant.
According to the Education Ministry, the education network may have to accommodate up to 20,000 more students than last year over the course of the next school year, which would mean they need 1,000 more teachers.
In addition, political parties and labour bodies said that Drainville should also use his press conference to take stock of other issues, including violence in schools and dilapidated buildings.
“The Minister has a duty to ensure that all students, teachers and school support staff can learn, teach and work in safety. I call on him to unveil this Friday the measures he intends to adopt at the start of the new school year,” said PQ MP Pascal Bérubé in a press release.
For its part, the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) pointed out that, despite the signing of new collective agreements with public sector workers, the education network is still grappling with numerous problems, including a shortage of staff “at all levels”.
On social media, Drainville wrote that 25 new schools will open their doors at the start of the school year. “A record year since 2017! In total, more than 273 projects are under construction throughout Quebec, including our new schools (121), as well as expansions. Very proud.”
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews