The Government of Nova Scotia recently announced its intent to change the entry requirements to teacher training in the province: Students will be able to enter a Bachelor of Education program after completing just two years of undergraduate study. The government said that this policy change is intended to address the provincial teacher shortages and could come into effect as soon as this fall. Nova Scotia Teachers Union President Ryan Lutes expressed some surprise at the announcement, stating that teachers were not consulted in the decision. “Any recruitment plan that doesn’t also focus on the retention of our current teachers and improving the working and learning conditions is doomed to fail,” said Lutes. NS Education Minister Becky Druhan said that the government will collaborate with its partners before implementing the new criteria.
