A review of science and technology curricula to make more room for environmental issues in schools is now officially planned by the end of the decade, according to information obtained by The duty.Students and teachers demanded reform and updating of these programs, which date back around twenty years.
Quebec wants to make primary and secondary school students more aware of “current issues”, notably climate change, but also the accelerated development of new technologies. The Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, made the announcement when he addressed, Friday morning, teachers gathered at the annual congress of the Association for the Teaching of Science and Technology in Quebec (AESTQ).
This news greatly delights the general director of the AESTQ, Camille Turcotte, who met the minister on this subject last spring following an open letter and an article in The duty. “Our members have been asking for this for a long time,” she says, noting that some parts of the program are very busy. “There are climate issues, but also everything related to artificial intelligence or genomics, for example,” she adds. This is content that really deserves to be updated.”
Marie Maltais, who set up a committee to make things happen while she was studying at Mont-Saint-Sacrement secondary school, in Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, also speaks of “excellent news” .
However, young people and teachers will have to wait a few more years. Quebec is first completing the implementation of the new Quebec Culture and Citizenship course for next year. There will also be a review of the French, language of instruction program in 2025. The science and technology programs, which date from 2001 for primary and 2006 for secondary, will then be revised.
Elementary schools will have the choice to implement the new science and technology curriculum for the year 2026-2027. It will then be compulsory for the fall 2027 school year.
At the secondary level, the programs will be updated and implemented on an optional basis in 2028-2029. They will be mandatory from fall 2029.
“We think it’s far away,” says the general director of the AESTQ. A situation that the minister recognizes, adds Camille Turcotte, and he is committed to finding solutions to accelerate the process. “If there is a way to shorten the deadline and do it as quickly as possible, that would be excellent,” adds Marie Maltais. The sooner, the better.”
Quebec is planning consultations for the primary level starting this fall, notably with stakeholders from the school network and university researchers. Consultations for secondary school programs could begin in 2025.