Over the past three years, half of the directors general or assistant directors general of school service centers or school boards have been replaced. A save-who-can similar to what we see among mayors? Their association ensures that these are mainly retirements, but that good candidates to replace them in this very intense job are rare.
What there is to know
- There is a very intense game of musical chairs at the senior management of school service centers and school boards.
- A large part of the reason: retirements.
- As a result, these organizations – whose budgets are higher than those of many municipalities – are managed by administrators with little experience.
Since the abolition of school elections in 2020, the position of general director is more critical than ever in school service centers. Their organization manages hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even up to 1.2 billion in the case of the Montreal school service center.
When elected officials from school service centers disappeared from the landscape in 2020, general directors were called upon overnight to assume part of their role.
In addition to their management tasks – which until then they had carried out mainly in the shadows – they were called upon to play a more political role.
At least on paper, they must also act as spokespersons and ball carriers for school service centers in the public square, which is what the presidents of each school board did before.
“If someone isn’t prepared to work 70 hours a week, it’s not even worth considering applying. You have to be ready to answer the minister’s calls on the weekend. It’s 7 days a week,” summarizes Normand Lessard, secretary general of the Association of School Directorates of Quebec.
On the website of this association, there are numerous job offers.
Many new
In fact, since the start of the school year in August, 22 directors general or assistant directors general have been appointed in one or other of the 72 school organizations, indicates Mr. Lessard.
In most cases, these are retirements, but some have left to manage other organizations, such as CEGEPs, explains Mr. Lessard.
Some of the positions filled were by general directors from another school service center, but many newcomers arrived.
In all, “37% of directors general or assistant directors general have less than three years of experience,” observes Mr. Lessard.
That being said, he indicates that the association he represents is increasing initiatives to support these managers in their learning of best practices.
The vacant positions end up being filled, sometimes after a second posting, explains Mr. Lessard, who notes that candidates with the required skills do not jostle at the gate.
“Difficult” functions
Jean Bernatchez, professor of educational sciences at the University of Quebec at Rimouski, also notes that the functions of general director or assistant general director are difficult.
Because they had to manage a pandemic, but also because they have found themselves, in his opinion, in a particularly uncomfortable position since December.
Mr. Bernatchez mentions the law passed in December 2023 which now allows the Legault government to dismiss general directors and overturn their decisions.
They already assumed their role as spokespersons for their organization very little and spoke very little to defend local issues, says Mr. Bernatchez, but since this law, they find themselves “more than ever under the minister’s microscope” and have no desire to take a public position.
Normand Lessard does not hide the fact that among general managers, “there are some who are more nervous” at the idea of making public outings.
“We remind them that according to the law, they are the spokespersons. »
But to the extent that the director general is “appointed, evaluated and can be suspended by the minister [de l’Éducation]adds Mr. Lessard, the role of spokesperson must be redefined.”
Simon Viviers, professor at Laval University, in the faculty of educational sciences, argues that general management “has significant responsibilities, but no room for maneuver, decision-making latitude” and that this, in itself, increases their burden.
Asked about the numerous departures at the head of school organizations, the office of Bernard Drainville, Minister of Education, did not respond.