Concrete and robust measures will be necessary to help young people in difficulty and prevent dropping out alongside the return to class next week and the end of the teachers’ strike, warns an expert.
Collateral victims of the negotiations, young Quebecers who attend public schools have missed between ten and more than twenty days of class since November. Some of them will have been absent from school for seven weeks, including the holiday holidays.
“There are certain young people who will have a lot of difficulty catching up. They were already late before the strike,” underlines Égide Royer, psychologist and academic success specialist.
Minister Bernard Drainville will unveil his academic catch-up plan next Tuesday.
Tutoring
For Mr. Royer, it will be essential to build on the tutoring program, which began during the pandemic, and improve it if necessary. “It’s like Tylenol for fever,” he says to illustrate its positive effect.
On the other hand, the risk of dropping out is difficult to assess, but very real, warns the specialist. School administrators should check from the first days if “any young people have not returned”.
“Take the context of a young person who is 15 years old. Things aren’t going very well at school. He started working during the strike. The possibility that he won’t come back is increasing, it’s official.”
Particular attention must be paid to students with learning delays or living in disadvantaged areas, believes Égide Royer, who hopes that educational activities will be planned next summer.
According to him, the average child should do quite well, but parents will have to be attentive to any difficulties that might arise and teachers will surely have to concentrate their efforts on “essential knowledge.”
“Little homo sapiens adapt to all kinds of things.”
Young people with severe disabilities are those for whom the concern is the greatest, he says.
Parents reassured
For its part, the Regroupement des committees de parents nationaux du Québec said it was reassured by the consultation work carried out with all stakeholders by the Ministry of Education in the development of its plan.
“Our concern is that these are not things that apply throughout Quebec everywhere, because the issues are different from one school service center to another, from one school to another. ‘other,’ says spokesperson Sylvain Martel.
“It is certain that the impact [d’avoir manqué de l’école] is not zero. Now, will it leave any marks? I think everyone in the education community understands the challenge that lies before us. Everyone has the same goal,” he adds.
Furthermore, Minister Drainville confirmed, on Friday, the postponement of the ministerial tests which were scheduled for January. They will take place at the end of the month or at the beginning of February to allow students to prepare adequately.