Class sizes, complexity, and a lack of support are concerns impacting 81 per cent of teachers in Manitoba, according to information shared by the Manitoba Teachers’ Society.
These are some of the issues identified in a new survey published by an organization representing teachers provincewide. Of the 3,470 teachers surveyed, more than three-quarters said students are not receiving the support to succeed.
“We have always had supports as teachers. We had guidance counsellors, and we have resource teachers, we have clinicians who are social workers and psychologists. We’ve had teams of people who come and help us who are able to help students learn in ways that are appropriate for students,” said Lillian Klausen, the president of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society.
“We have seen an erosion in all of those services over the past number of years. Now teachers in the classroom are becoming the counsellors and social workers and have all of these roles.”
Another gap identified was the accessibility of educational assistants (EA). Sixty-three per cent of teachers said they noticed a decline in EA support over the years.
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“Families and staff are seeing the same gaps, and every child deserves consistent support,” said Jasmine Laye, the founder of All Kids Deserve Support. Her 10-year-old son has ADHD and Tourette syndrome.
“There needs to be more educational assistants. They cannot function the way that they’re functioning — there’s a lot of burnout. They’re very overwhelmed. The kids are falling through the cracks because (teachers) have to pick and choose who needs more support,” said Laye.
The survey found 48 per cent of students say they have six or more students with “complex needs” in their classrooms. Students with complex needs may require different, or additional, support with school-related materials, like reading, or struggle with mental health concerns, the society’s president explained.
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When combined with rising class sizes and underfunding in education, Klausen said it is becoming a “pressing concern.”
“We want to see more EA supports in our schools. We want to see more clinicians coming in,” she added.
Despite the shortcomings reported, students are still enrolling and studying education.
The number of students admitted to the University of Manitoba’s Bachelor of Education program more than doubled this year, when compared to the fall semester of 2023. The Canadian Mennonite University reported filling all its available spots and had 18 potential students on its waitlist.
Consistent enrolment was reported from the University of Winnipeg’s and Brandon University’s faculties of education.
At the University of Winnipeg, 58 additional students were enrolled in its integrated education program. In the latter school, there was a less than 50 student increase in its undergraduate education students from 2024 to 2025.
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