The $25,000 scholarship announced by the Legault government last week for doctoral students in psychology who will do their internship in the public network will be awarded only to students who will go into health and social services and not to those who will do their internship in the schools. The Federation of Education Professionals denounces it.
The idea of the scholarship is to curb the exodus of psychologists to private practice at a time of major shortages in the public network.
Last week, Quebec announced that an additional scholarship of $25,000 was added to that of $25,000 already paid to doctoral students in psychology. The additional amount is paid to students who sign a two-year professional commitment in the health and social services network. Those who do their internship in these areas will therefore receive $50,000, while those who go to school will continue to receive $25,000.
The Federation of Education Professionals is “very surprised and angry”.
“Psychologists in the school network have already played in this unfortunate scenario, denounces Jacques Landry, president of the union affiliated with the Centrale des unions du Québec. A few years ago, bonuses were given only to psychologists in the health network. The negative repercussions were quickly felt throughout the education network. Parity in salary conditions between the two networks had corrected the problem. It is essential and necessary. »
By offering a financial incentive to future psychologists “only from the health network and ignoring the education network, it is clear to us that this will create an effect of disinterest among doctoral students in psychology to go and work in the school environment”.
Thousands of students deprived of psychological services
According to the Federation, 180 psychologist positions are vacant in school service centers in Quebec, which deprives thousands of students of psychological services “to whom Education Act entitles them. And a large number of our psychologists are elderly and will soon be retiring,” argues Mr. Landry.
“We dare to believe that this is an oversight on the part of Quebec and that the situation will be corrected now. »
Simon Savignac, press officer in the office of the Minister of Higher Education, explains that the new $25,000 scholarship is awarded by the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
He notes that the Ministry of Higher Education will work in the coming months with universities that have training programs with a specialization in school psychology to increase admissions and promote internships and internships in school settings.