Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax has launched an accelerated Bachelor of Education program to allow students to graduate faster, a move the institution said is to address the teacher shortage provincewide.
“For the future teachers, we’ve given them another option,” said Anthony Card, Dean of the Faculty of Education at Mount Saint Vincent University.
“It will be the same curriculum we’ve had for our existing 20-month program,” said Card. “And we still have both programs, so students have an option of a condensed format or the one we’ve been offering for a number of years.”
The fast-tracked format has students starting in May and continuing 14 months straight until graduation, allowing them to complete their degree 10 months earlier than the standard program.
“We’re committed to working with our partners in government and across the system to find solutions to the teacher shortage while ensuring that our graduates have the skills, experiences, and supports needed to successfully transition as teachers in today’s demanding P-12 classrooms,” said Dr. Joël Dickinson, president and vice-chancellor at Mount Saint Vincent University.
The Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) welcomes the move, suggesting the shortage of qualified teachers is at a critical point.
“It’s positive to hear that the universities are looking at ways to address the teacher shortage but also taking into account that the qualifications aren’t changing,” said NSTU president Peter Day.
Advanced Education Minister Brendan Maguire said he’s please MSVU is introducing a condensed program like one that was introduce at Cape Breton University.
“It’s great to see our post-secondary institutions stepping up to advance programming that addresses labour market needs, and the needs of Nova Scotians,” said Maguire.
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