Earlier this year, the Quebec government announced an ambitious catch-up plan to help students make up for class time lost because of the teachers’ strike in fall 2023. This plan relies heavily on the contribution of community agencies, thereby emphasizing their key role in student success.
Initiatives being launched in-school and in the community
Participation in the plan is voluntary, with students being offered extra classes during spring break, tutoring during the school year, free summer classes for Sec. 4 and 5 students, and specialized support for special needs students. Community agencies will be helping implement the plan by providing academic support, dropout prevention, as well as mental health and other services, in schools and in the community.
Well-placed to join the fight against inequality in schools
Not all children and teenagers will face the same challenges in the coming months. School continues to be a place where significant inequalities exist, where a student’s chances of success depend on whether they come from a disadvantaged or an affluent background. Immigrant students also face major challenges, especially those who have recently arrived and those with special needs. Thanks to their deep local roots, community agencies have the know-how and community-specific knowledge to implement targeted initiatives that are tailored to support young people and their families.
Joining forces to promote student success and prevent school dropouts
Cooperation, between school teams, community stakeholders, students and their parents, is crucial to preventing an increase in school dropouts. As always, when called upon to help young people succeed in school, community agencies call out “Here!”.
A voice from the frontlines
Joëlle McNeil Paquet runs L’Antre-Jeunes, an agency in Mercier-Est, Montreal’s east end, so she’s around students between 12 and 17 every day. Lately, she’s been noticing that her student clientele lacks structure in their lives. “Young people are finding it hard to get back into a routine after the strike,” she explains. “They’re having trouble following instructions, behaving in class and obeying school rules. Our staff members have also noticed an increase in alcohol and drug use during the strike.”
This lack of structure is having a huge impact on the next generation. “Since the pandemic, young people have had trouble imagining their future,” she explains. “Now, they’ve just had seven weeks off school, on top of two years of the pandemic. All this disruption means they’re struggling with structure.”
The Executive Director of L’Antre-Jeunes admits there’s no magic bullet, but emphasizes that staying in school is key, and that the community can help motivate young people by listening to them and providing services tailored to their needs. She also stressed that we should remember the students who aren’t specifically included in the catch-up plan, i.e. those who aren’t currently experiencing difficulties, but who are nevertheless in danger of falling behind.
To learn more about the government’s catch-up plan for students, go to: Plan de rattrapage scolaire (in French only
1 out of 5 people receives our help.
5 out of 5 people benefit from it.
Let’s all lend a hand
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