New Brunswick universities are planning to reinforce teacher education programs, focusing more on reading. The shift comes as the province grapples with low literacy rates among students, an issue in the school system advocates have referred to as a “crisis.” The University of New Brunswick (UNB), St. Thomas University (STU) and Crandall University have all made agreements with the province’s Department of Education to update their program requirements. Some of the requirements are to include at least six literacy-focused credit hours for elementary education and three credit hours focused on foundations of early reading. “This kind of collaboration allows all of us to ensure that teachers trained at each of our respective institutions receive the preparation needed,” says Nancy Matthews, dean of Crandall University, in a provincial news release. In June, the province’s auditor general released an investigation into the state of the province’s literacy levels, finding only three per cent of anglophone schools passed the Grade 4 reading assessment. The issue is one that impacts children and adolescents alike. New Brunswick had the lowest rates across Canada in a 2022 assessment of 15-year-olds, according to the report. The audit ran from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025, and says no literacy targets were met in the province for any year for the period. “It’s crucial future teachers graduate with the skills to meet the needs of today’s students,” says Post-Secondary Education and Training Minister Jean-Claude D’Amours in the release. Heidi Ryder, president of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association, echoes this. “Teachers need the right preparation and time – including time to collaborate with colleagues – to develop the expertise needed to support students from day one,” Ryder says. “Strong standards for teacher education programs help strengthen the profession, and today’s announcement, with its focus on early-years literacy, gives teachers a solid foundation to build on.” For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
