Yes to CBU, no to Dal

Education Minister Karen Casey outlines her response to the report reviewing teacher education. (Nick Pearce Photo)

The Department of Education “won’t interfere” with Cape Breton University’s plans to partner Memorial University and offer a bachelor of education program starting this month. The department will also support CBU’s creation of its own bachelor of education program in 2009.

Dalhousie University, on the other hand, was advised to discontinue a proposed partnership with Memorial, similar to CBU’s.

Nova Scotia Education Minister Karen Casey made the announcement at Province House in Halifax on Thursday in response to a report reviewing teacher education in Nova Scotia. Delivered in January, the report by the three-person panel noted there is an oversupply of teachers in the province. It found there were more than 1,000 new teachers graduating each year while fewer than 400 jobs available. It recommended universities with teacher-education agreements with schools outside Nova Scotia end those partnerships.

But Minister Casey responded that while there are too many teachers for some subjects, there are not enough for others, such as math, French and technology. Substitute teachers are also needed in some areas of the province.

“Also many young people want the opportunity to become a teacher. We should not turn aside those motivated individuals,” she said.

She also supported a partnership between Saint Mary’s University and Mount Saint Vincent University for a five-year integrated bachelor of arts/bachelor of education program and the continuation of Acadia University’s integrated bachelor of science/bachelor of education.

CBU’s partnership with Memorial will end after current students complete the 16-month program. Starting in 2009, CBU will offer 40 spots, funded by the province, so long as its program meets labour-market demand and receives approval of the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission and the Minister of Education.

Last month, Dalhousie and Memorial announced intentions to host Memorial's bachelor of education degree program on Dalhousie’s campus. But last week, that plan was voluntarily halted at the request of the minister.

“Although Dalhousie had informed ministry officials of the university’s plans, and engaged in ongoing discussion since February, the minister recently asked Dalhousie to suspend the partnership arrangement with Memorial until she had the opportunity to respond,” Charles Crosby, spokesperson for Dalhousie after the Province House news conference. “We honoured that request.”

Recommendations from the report that the Department of Education plans to implement include: establishing a Minister’s Advisory Council on Teacher Education; directing the new council to examine the balance between theory and applied aspects of teacher education; establishing a task force to recommend improvements to the practice-teaching component of teacher education; and supporting the development of a mentoring program for new teachers.

READ: Casey OK's teacher program at CBU by CBC News