New Programs to Educate More Teachers at Cape Breton University

Two new, accelerated bachelor of education (B.Ed.) programs at Cape Breton University will help get more teachers into Nova Scotia’s classrooms faster.

The new programs will increase the number of funded seats at the university to 115 from 40, with the Province providing funding for the 75 additional seats for the next three years.

“Teachers are the foundation of our education system. We need more of them to respond to our growing population, support teachers already in the system and meet the needs of students across the province,” said Becky Druhan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “These new programs provide new ways to offer the same high-quality bachelor of education program online and in a shorter amount of time to help get teachers into classrooms faster.”

The accelerated programs meet Nova Scotia’s teacher certification requirements. One is an eight-month online pilot that will allow students to complete the program and their practicum from anywhere in the province. The program will begin in January, and participants will be ready to enter the school system for the September 2024 school year.

The second option is a 12-month in-person program that will begin in May 2024 and replace the university’s current 15-month program. Both new programs consist of 48 credits of coursework and 12 credits of practicum work, as does the 15-month program. The Department of Advanced Education will closely monitor the outcomes of the accelerated programs.

Information about how to apply is available online at: https://www.cbu.ca/academics/programs/bachelor-of-education/

Quotes:

“As a growing province, we need to take action and find innovative solutions to train more teachers faster to keep up with population growth. As an educator of 28 years, I know that the most important aspect of teaching is building relationships with students and I’m confident that this program will deliver the teachers that our schools need.”

– Brian Wong, Minister of Advanced Education

“Cape Breton University is thrilled to be increasing our bachelor of education seats from 40 to 115 with today’s announcement. CBU has a long history of recognizing community need and taking action in innovative and forward-thinking ways. We are happy to be able to step up when it comes to educating highly skilled teachers. These teachers then develop future generations of Nova Scotians, and for that we are so proud.”

– David Dingwall, President and Vice-Chancellor, Cape Breton University

Quick Facts:

• the Province will invest $250,000 in 2023-24 and about $1 million annually after that
• a bachelor of education is typically a two-year baccalaureate degree
• five Nova Scotia universities currently offer B.Ed. programs – Acadia University, Cape Breton University, Mount Saint Vincent University, St. Francis Xavier University and Université Sainte-Anne
• there are about 480 first-year students enrolled in B.Ed. programs in Nova Scotia this year
• there are more than 130,000 students in Nova Scotia’s public schools

Additional Resources:

Ideas for Education: https://www.ednet.ns.ca/ideasforeducation