CBU cancels online bachelor of education program at last minute, catching students off guard

Cape Breton University (CBU) has recently made the decision to cancel its new online bachelor of education program, leaving students like Allison Lord in a state of uncertainty. Lord, a resident of Windsor, N.S., was eager to enroll in CBU’s condensed eight-month program, which would have allowed her to study from home and become a certified teacher in a short amount of time. However, with less than a month before the classes were scheduled to begin, the program was abruptly cancelled.

Lord, who had already obtained a bachelor of arts from the University of King’s College in Halifax and had previous experience in education work internationally, had made significant arrangements to pursue her B.Ed. She had taken out a $25,000 line of credit and made living arrangements with her parents in preparation for the program. Feeling disappointed and somewhat misled by the cancellation, Lord expressed her concerns about the sudden change of plans.

CBU has mentioned the possibility of offering a 12-month version of the program starting in May, but Lord remains skeptical after rearranging her life for the initial program. She expressed doubts about continuing her education with CBU and questioned the timing of the cancellation, speculating that financial reasons may have played a role in the decision.

Ellyn Lyle, CBU’s dean of education, clarified that financial concerns were not the reason behind the cancellation. She explained that despite the approval of the program by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission, certain conditions attached to the approval caused delays that made it impossible to launch the program in January. These conditions also affected the accreditation timeline, which was crucial for a unique accelerated program like the one CBU had planned.

Lyle expressed sympathy for the affected students and reassured them that a 12-month program starting later in the year would be a better option for both CBU and the students. This revised timeline would still allow students to complete their degree earlier than if they enrolled in a traditional two-year program in January. The hope is that the 12-month program will be available online as well as on campus.

The Nova Scotia government had supported the accelerated degree program as a means of addressing teacher shortages in the province. The cancellation of the eight-month program was met with disappointment, but efforts are underway to explore alternative options to continue offering the program in Nova Scotia.

In conclusion, while the cancellation of CBU’s online bachelor of education program has caused uncertainty and disappointment for students like Allison Lord, there is hope for a revised 12-month program to be offered later in the year. The decision to cancel the program was not financially motivated, but rather a result of unforeseen delays in approval and accreditation processes. Students are encouraged to remain hopeful for future opportunities to pursue their education and contribute to addressing teacher shortages in Nova Scotia.