It is essentially outside of school hours that time lost during strikes will be made up, and only on a voluntary basis, announced the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, on Tuesday. It predicts that half a million schoolchildren will need tutoring or specialized help. An envelope of $300 million in “new money” will therefore be granted to school service centers to achieve this, in addition to some flexibility.
• Read also – Return to class after 5 weeks of strike: from catch-up to break, if desired
1) Return to pandemic weighting
The ministerial exams that primary and 2nd grade students will have to takee secondary will count for 10% of the final results instead of 20%. As for the exams of 4e and 5e secondary school, they will count for 30% of the final mark, instead of 50%.
Unlike the relaxations granted during the pandemic, all knowledge must be taught in all subjects and will be part of the ministerial exams. Only 4 ministerial reviewse and 5e secondary school will focus on essential knowledge.
2) The delayed March newsletter
The transmission of the March bulletin may be postponed by two weeks, announced Mr. Drainville. Those who wish to have more time to teach the subject will not be obliged to transmit it before March 15, as planned. They will have until the end of March.
3) Tutoring outside of class hours
The core of the catch-up will be in the form of tutoring for students who need it. It will be offered at lunchtime, in the evening or even during spring break, depending on the plan adopted by each school. Tutoring will be given by volunteer teachers, or by students or retired teachers. Volunteer teachers will then be paid overtime, according to what their collective agreement provides.
4) Specialized help for students in difficulty
Schools will be responsible for putting in place specialized help for students who were already having difficulty before the strike and who had an intervention plan. For example, remedial teachers, psychoeducators or specialized educators could bring together students with the same type of blockage. Once again, this help would be offered outside of school hours, on a voluntary and paid basis.
5) Aid will begin at the end of January
Starting this week, each school will have to develop its catch-up plan, identify its volunteer staff as well as the students who will be entitled to the activities. Parents of identified students should be contacted during the week of January 22. Then, catch-up activities should be able to begin the week of January 29.
If a parent is convinced that their child needs this additional help, but has not been identified as such, Minister Drainville then invites them to contact their school administration.
6) More money for FAE schools
Each school service center (CSS) will receive a share of the $300 million allocated to catch-up and will then have to redistribute its envelope to the different schools according to needs on the ground.
“I can tell you straight away, CSS [de la] Autonomous education federation [FAE] will have more resources,” explained Mr. Drainville. In fact, students whose teachers are affiliated with the FAE missed 24 days of school. In comparison, those whose teachers are part of the Common Front missed 9. “If we realize that we need to put more [d’argent]we will do it.”
7) More money for homework help organizations
Community organizations working on literacy, francization or fighting school dropouts will receive additional amounts thanks to an emergency fund of $42 million. This also includes organizations like Alloprof and Tel-jeunes.
8) Summer courses will be free
Students of 4e and 5e high school students who failed certain subjects could already take summer courses, but they usually had to be paid. “These costs should not be a barrier,” said the minister. The repeat courses next summer will therefore be free.