Manitoba PCs and Math Educators Sound Alarm on Potential Consequences of Relaxing Teacher Certification Requirements

Manitoba politicians and mathematicians are pushing for the restoration of stricter teacher certification standards in the province, emphasizing the importance of having the necessary skills to teach math.

This call follows the recent implementation of regulatory reforms by the Manitoba government aimed at addressing shortages in the education sector and simplifying the certification process.

As part of these changes, aspiring teachers are no longer mandated to specialize in specific major or minor subjects while in university.

“A teacher applying for a K-to-8 position might not have taken a single math class since their high school years,” Jackson remarked. “How does the minister anticipate this decision will enhance math education for students in Manitoba?”

Schmidt defended the changes, stating that they were crucial to fixing a broken system.

“These revised regulations that we are very proud of will align Manitoba with most other provinces in Canada and remove barriers to facilitate more educators entering our system,” she explained.

Jackson disputed her claims, asserting that Manitoba now falls behind other provinces in terms of math requirements. Prior to the changes, he mentioned that Manitoba was on par with British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, all of which mandate six credit hours of math education for aspiring teachers. Several Maritime provinces have comparable necessities, while Quebec’s standards are even more stringent.

“We will now have the lowest standards in the country,” Jackson stated.

Schmidt refuted Jackson’s assessment without offering any comparison with other provinces.

“These regulatory changes will eliminate barriers,” she affirmed. “We anticipate more teachers in Manitoba, including internationally trained teachers, French-language instructors, and educators in the Northern regions.”

Math ‘Anxiety’

Later in the day, Jackson and math advocate Professor Anna Stokke from the University of Winnipeg held a news conference.

Jackson expressed concerns from his party and various university professors about the potential impact on Manitoba students due to the changes.

Stokke described the alterations in requirements as “alarming.”

In 2011, the professor initiated a petition demanding an increase in math requirements for teachers. The former NDP administration revised the minimum subject credit threshold from three to six in 2015.

Stokke highlighted the persistent issue of students entering university with inadequate math skills, noting that this concern remains unchanged.

“We often encounter students arriving at university unable to handle fractions or perform basic math operations,” Stokke remarked. “It is crucial for these students to engage in math studies beyond high school.”

While the changes might simplify the recruitment of teachers, Stokke believes it will not benefit students and might lead to increased “math anxiety” in classrooms.

“Math anxiety can be passed on to students if teachers themselves are anxious about math,” she stated. “Hence, it is essential to have proficient teachers who are confident in math and can effectively explain it.”