Its high failure rates in mathematics and French in high school. His classes reduced in high school because of the pandemic. His anxiety related to COVID-19. Much has been said about this cohort currently in CEGEP which has just had its first face-to-face session. But when discussing with these young people, what strikes first is their happiness, even their gratitude to have finally been able to taste life again after having learned that everything could stop overnight.
“Cellphones are much better organized, the eyes are shining! The young people are really happy to have been able to see their friends and their teachers. That’s remarkable, ”says Lucie Piché, president of the Federation of CEGEP teachers.
Of course, that doesn’t mean the comeback went smoothly. We will know precisely when the bulletins come out and when we have the final data on the abandoned courses. But according to the first echoes she has of it, Mme Piché understands that things are going better for young people who have just entered CEGEP “and who had kept a certain academic rhythm in high school” than for those who are in their second year of CEGEP and for whom the cut was longer. .
Samuel Vaillancourt, president of the Federation of Collegiate Students of Quebec, for his part evokes “a lack of student confidence”.
Many are afraid of not having all the necessary skills [pour réussir au collégial].
Samuel Vaillancourt, President of the Quebec College Student Federation
In February, the Quebec Federation of Educational Institution Directors very openly expressed its major concerns: the failure rate in French and mathematics had almost doubled in the first stage, according to preliminary data. The weighting of the bulletins has been revised, the Minister of Education, Jean-François Roberge, maintained that the final data did not mention the announced disaster, but that yes, the program had to be lightened, pandemic obliges.
According to Mr. Vaillancourt, stress is particularly present in technical students, “who had to learn certain maneuvers at a distance” – in nursing, for example. Learning to give an injection from a distance is not like doing it on a mannequin, he observes, saying that anything that requires manual skills has been particularly affected by the pandemic.
No “we stop, we start again”
But according to Bernard Tremblay, President and CEO of the Fédération des cégeps, what should be remembered from this face-to-face session is that “the young people have had stability over the past few months. This time, there was no “we stop, we start again” ”, especially since the CEGEPs have not been grappling with many outbreaks, he points out.
PHOTO IVANOH DEMERS, PRESS ARCHIVES
Bernard Tremblay, President and CEO of the Fédération des cégeps
Everything was not perfect, there was a lot of talk, for example, of the uniform French test held at a distance last year and which ended with much higher results than usual ( success rates of over 96% compared to 80% usually). Cheating was mentioned, such as the fact that young people were entitled to the Antidote software. Bernard Tremblay immediately recognizes that it was not perfect, but how could it have been otherwise? he asks. “We couldn’t have the exam done in person and the only option would have been not to take it at all,” he notes.
The fact remains that COVID-19 is still very much in people’s minds and that this adds to the stress of young people, believes Mr. Tremblay. This is why the possibility of asking for an “incomplete” mention (until November 30 in this fall session) continues to be an option for students. “This will be the case as long as there is a pandemic. It lowers the stress level associated with the R rating [prise en compte pour les admissions à l’université]. ”
The exams continue normally these days in the CEGEPs of Quebec. In Ontario, with the number of COVID-19 cases on the rise, Queen’s University has decided to hold the tests at bay.
174,892
Number of students registered for the fall semester in one of the 48 CEGEPs in Quebec
Source: Federation of CEGEPs
Meet the students
Press has collected testimonies from students of Cégep du Vieux Montréal and Collège Ahuntsic.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Laurianne Dupuis
I am in the third year of my ambulance technique. In my first year, remotely, we learned theoretical notions, but without being able to put them into practice. So we had forgotten some things. But overall, I liked distance education. Once the teachers got used to it, I didn’t find it boring. We were wasting less time like that.
Laurianne Dupuis
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Audrey Artemow
When it was done remotely, the exams were open book. The return in person was difficult, when we were no longer entitled to our notes. We had to readjust to traditional exams. But being able to interact with teachers is more educational.
Audrey Artemow
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Jerome Bernard
The confinement allowed me to do some introspection, which was good, but I’m really grateful to have had this whole session, in CEGEP, with my teachers and my friends. I’m really happy to have my two doses, to have my life back and to be able to go out!
Jerome Bernard
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Daisy koffi
I immigrated from France with my family and I finished my high school by doing my lessons at home, where I had more difficulty concentrating. Now, for me, everything is new and I expected a much stricter framework, like in France! I didn’t expect to have so much freedom. At CEGEP, in class, you can eat, drink, even use your phone.
Daisy koffi
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Dorina Coval
After what we lived in the middle of a pandemic, I find that we now appreciate everything we have more. Also, since we have courses with students from different programs, it allows us to meet people from different fields and to think about other career choices. I was thinking of continuing my studies in psychology, but here I am considering the possibility of going into graphic design. I have realized that I am able to work on my own, with my computer. Even after having done a good part of my 4e secondary school at home and my 5e high school in hybrid mode, I found it difficult, full-time CEGEP. I was used to going to bed later!
Dorina Coval
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Stella-Rose Mercier
We were used to being alone, isolated, five days out of five, and I had lost social skills. I am naturally reserved and I had started to feel too well with us. But during the time I was confined, it allowed me to think about my career choices.
Stella-Rose Mercier
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Ulysses Desjardins
It was so long, when we did the distance lessons! It was impossible to bond with the teachers like we do now, in person. At the worst of the pandemic, it was obvious that the teachers were themselves demotivated. I received my diploma from 5e secondary school without doing anything from March to June [2020]. At CEGEP, it sometimes happens that teachers tell us that such and such a notion is something we should have learned, but that doesn’t have too much of an impact.
Ulysses Desjardins
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Mathis Desbiens
I finished my high school remotely and it showed when I started CEGEP. I had lost the habit of studying, of taking notes.
Mathis Desbiens
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Johnny nguyen
During confinement, I had more time to be outside, to do more sports, to be more active. Back in college, I feel like I’m running out of time.
Johnny nguyen
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Camilia lord
I find it difficult to stay focused in class. A course lasts three hours, it’s a long time. Just how long, those huge breaks between classes, when you don’t even have to study anymore.
Camilia lord