Shaker and Bahran: Internationally trained educators can help solve the teacher shortage

Ontario’s classrooms are running on borrowed time. Daily vacancies now plague one‑quarter of elementary and more than one‑third of secondary schools, according to a 2024 People for Education survey, and forecasts from the Ontario College of Teachers suggest the shortfall will keep widening through 2030. Despite recent budget increases, the teacher‑education program is still constricted. Annual intake fell from about 7,600 seats in 2011 to roughly 4,500 by 2022, while yearly certifications dropped from nearly 9,700 in 2008 to just 5,700 in 2021. The result is a revolving door of uncertified replacements, cancelled specialist classes, and learning disruptions that hit vulnerable students hardest. Read More