Quebec invites schools to hold scientific activities around the solar eclipse, including observation of the astronomical phenomenon, provided that safety conditions are ensured for students.
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The Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, corrected the situation on Monday, after an outing by two scientists who denounced “alarming” communications from the government.
“The management of this event by the authorities seems to oscillate between delay and excessive caution, compromising the golden opportunity to make it a true celebration of science and learning for many Quebecers,” denounced astronomer Pierre Chastenay and the general director of the Association for the Teaching of Science and Technology in Quebec, Camille Turcotte.
Indeed, some school service centers preferred to cancel the school day, while others refused to distribute the free observation glasses distributed by science promotion organizations.
According to The Press, a directive from the Ministry of Education, dated February 28, also caused confusion: schools were invited to remain open on the day of the eclipse on April 8, and they were also suggested to avoid external events. The directive prompted private schools to close their doors for the day.
- “We prevent young people from taking full advantage of an event that only happens once” deplored the Association for the Teaching of Science and Technology in Quebec via QUB :
Outdoor activities
In the morning, Monday, Minister Drainville clarified that “supervised and safe outdoor activities are encouraged,” while inviting schools to maintain activities where they were already planned.
In a note sent to the school network on Monday, the Ministry of Education clarified its directives.
“The ministry would like to point out that the holding of activities, both exterior and interior, of a scientific nature during the period during which the event will take place is highly encouraged, if all conditions are put in place to ensure the safety of the students,” writes Assistant Deputy Minister Stéphanie Vachon.
To be safe, the activity must be held under the supervision of school staff and provide for the use of “solar eclipse glasses meeting prescribed standards (compliance with the international standard ISO 12312-2)”, as proposed in the note from the February 28, she emphasizes.
Drainville will participate
Speaking on the sidelines of a speech to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Greater Lévis, Minister Drainville stressed that approximately half of the school service centers plan to remain open during the eclipse, while the other half will close. its schools, particularly for reasons of school transportation.
“I expressed a wish, a preference”, in favor of keeping schools open, he notes.
“After that, I let the school service centers manage the situation on the ground, because the terrain is different depending on where you are in Quebec. The eclipse is not the same everywhere. In some places it will be total, in other places it will be partial. Then I understand the issues of school transportation,” said the minister.
He himself will be in a school for the occasion where an activity will be organized linked to the solar eclipse, he emphasizes.
