Teacher shortage: Marwah Rizqy went to assist in a 5th grade class

Faced with the glaring shortage of teachers in schools, liberal education critic Marwah Rizqy volunteered to do supply in a school of the Marguerite-Bourgeoys School Board.

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“I heard the call that the substitutes were missing. The bank of substitutes is really really empty, so I raised my hand, I answered present, ”said the Liberal MP for Saint-Laurent at Antoine Robitaille’s microphone on QUB radio.

From the 2^e day of her new temporary job, the politician said she was already impressed by the respect of the sanitary instructions.

“The discipline is going really well. The children know the protocol well, ”she said.

As for the teachers and management staff, she had nothing but praise for them.

“They are really smiling all the time. There is a joy of living all the same. In my school, there is a great magic happening, ”said M.^me Rizqy who points out that the instructions from Public Health sometimes arrive late at the end of the day.

Until now, Marwah Rizqy has replaced in reception class and in 5^e year, where she taught French and mathematics.

“Even I have [dû] revisiting the prime numbers, I had to do a little update during the lunch break, ”admitted with a laugh the tax lawyer.

“I was thinking about all the teachers who in the first five years leave the profession because they are exhausted […]; if we were able to match new teachers with older ones, maybe there are some who would stay longer in the profession, ”suggested Mr.^me Rizqy.

Critics of education recalled that there are between “20 to 30% of teachers” who leave the profession during the first five years.

“The load is still important and we need help,” she implored, speaking of her current experience as a substitute.

“When the remedial teacher or the assistant principal came to help me in my class, it really gave me a hand. We broke up a few sub-groups and we were able to work better with a few students, to ensure that there is no one who has stopped following (…) ”, she said. told.

Marwah Rizqy welcomes that people from other professions, such as comedians, actors and artists, whose careers are on hiatus due to the pandemic, are also volunteering to do locals in the schools in Quebec.

“If we are able to have people who have the time to give, now is the time,” she suggested.

• Listen to Marwah Rizqy, Liberal MP for Saint-Laurent, and this week substitute in a school in her riding, on QUB Radio: