Quebec Reports 45,754 Unqualified Teachers
More than a third of Quebec teachers lack legal qualifications, according to data obtained by Le Devoir through an access-to-information request submitted to the Ministry of Education. The figures show that 45,754 unqualified teachers worked in the province’s classrooms during the 2024-2025 school year. This total marks a 2.7 percent increase compared to the previous year and keeps the proportion of underqualified staff hovering around 35 percent.
The rising share of uncertified educators continues a upward trend documented in previous years. In a 2023 report, then-Auditor General Guylaine Leclerc revealed that more than a quarter of the province’s teachers—nearly 31,000 instructors—were considered legally unqualified during the 2020-2021 school year. These individuals teach in schools despite lacking the credentials required to obtain a teaching brevet or official legal authorization from Quebec.
Classroom Impact on Students and Qualified Staff
Richard Bergevin, president of the Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement, points out that lacking full training creates significant complications in the school environment. Kathleen Legault, president of the Association montréalaise des directions d’établissement scolaire, notes that while many uncertified teachers are motivated, they generally require much more daily support. This need for oversight overburdens experienced personnel, which in turn harms staff retention.
Mylène Leroux, a professor in the Department of Educational Sciences at the Université du Québec en Outaouais, expresses concern that incomplete training leaves teachers ill-equipped to handle the immense needs of students with special requirements. Anabelle Viau-Guay, president of the Association des doyens, doyennes et directeurs, directrices pour l’étude et la recherche en éducation au Québec, adds that insufficient qualifications prevent teachers from mastering the skills needed to lead a group toward success, turning the job into an overwhelming burden that drives educators to leave.
To tackle the shortage, the government introduced fast-track university training programs in 2023. These pathways allow students who already hold a bachelor’s degree and work in a school service centre to earn legal teaching authorization. The Ministry of Education reports that 58 such programs have been added to the Regulation respecting teaching authorizations, consisting of 21 programs of 30 credits leading to a specialized graduate diploma and 37 qualifying master’s degrees of 45 credits.
However, the ministry stated in response to the access-to-information request that it holds no documents regarding how many students have enrolled in these fast-track programs or subsequently earned teaching authorizations. Kathleen Legault notes that it remains too soon to determine whether the programs have successfully reduced the number of unqualified teachers over the past two years.
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