Data shows near-threefold jump in uncertified teachers in B.C. [Video]

School districts across British Columbia are increasingly recruiting uncertified teachers, according to provincial data, as educators report ongoing staffing shortages.

The figures, recently brought to light by CityNews and subsequently obtained by CBC News, show a nearly threefold increase in the number of Letters of Permission (LOP) issued — a letter authorizing individuals without certification to serve as educators — since 2019. 

In 2023, 303 LOPs were granted in 2023 compared with 92 in 2019.

The numbers reveal how schools are struggling to cover a shortage of staff, says the B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), which is raising concerns about the consequent effect on children’s education.

“We have been sounding the alarm bells about a teacher shortage for close to a decade … it started off gradually but has now picked up steam,” union president Clint Johnston said during an interview with CBC News. 

He says several factors, including B.C.’s spiraling cost of housing and early retirements during the …