Over 37,000 school support staff resignations in the past five years

Over the past five years and into the current year, 37,428 school support staff have resigned from school service centers and school boards. These figures do not include retirements and were obtained by the   Fédération du personnel de soutien scolaire (FPSS‑CSQ). They come from 61 of the 72 school organizations in the province of Quebec, since eleven did not respond to this request.

FPSS-CSQ President Éric Pronovost is deeply concerned about this situation and says: “We are witnessing a major crisis in education. These mass resignations are having an impact on the workload of those who remain, and on the quality of services we offer. 5,516 people have already jumped ship this year – almost 70% of the total resignations last year – and there are still three months to go in the school year. There’s plenty to worry about.”

Why people are resigning

“The reasons behind this wave of mass departures are varied,” says Pronovost. “Lack of recognition, precarious working conditions, lack of resources, and work overload are all factors that drive school support staff to make the difficult decision to leave their jobs in education.”

Éric Pronovost points out how this jeopardizes the quality of services offered to students. School support staff perform various tasks, from administrative management to facilities maintenance, to supporting students with special needs. Their contributions are often discreet, but they are fundamental.

“Losing people with experience and expertise is crucial. When people resign, new people need to be hired and trained to replace them. There is a significant cost associated with this, which the government needs to take into account.”

The FPSS-CSQ is calling upon the Education Minister to take urgent action to resolve this crisis. Despite some gains in the new collective agreements, there are still issues that require immediate action to preserve the integrity of our education system. “School support staff remain deeply and constantly concerned about the lack of services to students,” insists Pronovost. “Adequate recognition of their essential contribution is required; we are a decisive factor in education.”

The FPSS-CSQ wants to work in collaboration with the Education Minister to find lasting solutions to this crisis and guarantee a safe and stimulating environment for all.