March 20, 2002 For Immediate Release

This fall, about 30 students will be entering a new bachelor's degree program in Teacher Education at the University of Northern British Columbia. The Bachelor's of Education (BEd) program has been in development at UNBC for more than two years and has been designed to combat a shortage of teachers in northern British Columbia schools.

The new program will initially provide education and training to students who wish to become school teachers at the early (kindergarten to grade 5) level. The University is expecting to implement a senior years (grades 9 - 12) program in September 2003 followed in the future by a middle years (grades 6-8) stream. The program will be open to students who have already completed a bachelor's degree in an academic area that is commonly taught in BC schools, and will specifically prepare students for teaching in rural and northern areas. Extensive practical experience is also a strong characteristic of the new program.

In January, the BC College of Teachers approved the proposed program for three years, but implementation has been dependent on Government funding. The new funding is providing the University with the opportunity to hire the first faculty and staff needed to begin offering the program this year.

"Government is committed to providing more access for students at facilities that are closer to home," says Advanced Education Minister Shirley Bond. "This program is important for northern and rural communities as it will provide a community-based focus to address critical skill shortages in the region."

"We're delighted with the Government's support of the BEd, a program that has been of keen interest to hundreds of prospective students and actively supported by northern school districts," says UNBC President Charles Jago. "My thanks and congratulations go to Paul Madak, the Chair of Education at UNBC, who has worked with school districts and teachers to develop a program tailored to reflect the realities of teaching in small, rural, and First Nations communities."

Students can get more information about the program and the application process from www.unbc.ca/education within a week.