CEGEPs and universities | A start date on January 17, but distance learning allowed until January 31

As is the case for elementary and secondary schools, Quebec plans for CEGEP and university students to return to campuses as of January 17, but allows them to stay in distance education until the end of the month. For many students and faculty, however, uncertainty persists.

Marie-Eve Morasse
Press

The Ministry of Higher Education reiterated it on Friday in a message sent to CEGEPs and universities: “in accordance with the recommendations of the Department of Public Health”, everyone will be able to be in the classroom on January 17.

But like universities which have already announced that they are postponing their return to school for a few weeks (the Université de Montréal and Université Laval, among others), the government is planning for higher education institutions that want a “transition period” allowing them to stay in distance learning until January 31, at the latest.

This ministerial slogan does not take away from the complexity of the situation in CEGEPs, says Lucie Piché, president of the Federation of CEGEP teachers (FEC-CSQ). Among professors who are preparing for their session, there is “uncertainty”.

The president of the Fédération d’études collégiale du Québec (FECQ), Samuel Vaillancourt, believes it is time for Minister Danielle McCann to address the students.

“For the moment, we are told that it will be like last fall, but we see that it is not adapted to the number of cases that we see every day. It is very disturbing. How are we going to make the campuses safer than they were last semester? “Asks Mr. Vaillancourt, who expects” concrete “announcements.

The government could take advantage of the “very strong adherence” of CEGEPs to vaccination to offer the third dose on campuses or even distribute rapid tests to students, he argues. Like a good part of the population, most of them do not have one in their hands.

A few days before the start of the school year, teachers also have “pragmatic considerations, such as the third dose and rapid tests”, says Lucie Piché.

“Few and controlled” outbreaks

The Ministry of Higher Education says it does not consider introducing the vaccine passport to attend classes in CEGEPs and universities, and recalls that last fall, outbreaks were “few and controlled” in these establishments.

It’s true, says Samuel Vaillancourt, but the virulence of the Omicron variant is a game-changer. What is planned for students who will have to isolate themselves in greater numbers for 5 or 10 days due to symptoms? Is there anything planned for them? asks the president of the FECQ.

The start date varies depending on the CEGEPs in the province, but most will have welcomed their students by January 24 at the latest.

If the Fédération des cégeps has indicated to Press that “the CEGEPs are preparing to resume in the presence” as planned, the Regroupement des cégeps de Montréal notes that those who are due to start on January 17 plan to do so remotely.

“Montreal CEGEPs and universities meet with the Montreal Regional Public Health Department on a regular basis. The last meeting was on Wednesday. We will have another one in two weeks, ”said Nathalie Vallée, president of the Regroupement des cégeps de Montréal. These meetings, she says, allow us to discuss the management of cases in institutions.

Some CEGEPs have already notified their community that a “fallback plan” providing for a remote re-entry could quickly be activated. This is the case at Cégep de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, where the start of the school year is scheduled for January 24. At the Cégep de Sherbrooke, we are preparing for a return to school on January 17.

Either way, some students couldn’t stand the uncertainty caused by this new wave of COVID-19. Faced with the fear of a new session that would be entirely remote, some have already decided to cancel their courses, they say to the FECQ.