Premier Philippe Couillard made a mea culpa on his education platform Sunday at the Liberal Party’s general council meeting in Drummondville, at the same time praising English public schools.

After two years trying to reform the school system, he is giving up and said he now wants to focus on student achievement.
  
In his final speech to supporters at the weekend conference, the Liberal leader said he now wants to follow the example of English school boards and therefore bury Bill 86 – the bill to reform the school board system – for good.

He said that the English school board models were the way forward, considering their graduation rate of 85 per cent. He praised the success rate of the English public schools, saying they should serve as an example.

“The level in of involvement in the community in their school system is very significant and frankly is something to compliment the community about. That's something we should all be doing,” he said.

“We must say again to our English-speaking fellow Quebecers that the way they did things, the way they conducted their school boards and their schools is the way to go for all Quebecers and this is what we get,” he added.

Party members also voted in favour of a plan the CAQ has been pushing for weeks, to start all Quebec children in Kindergarten at age 4, and keep them in school until 18.

Starting school sooner could help reduce dropout rates, because early intervention is the key to student success, said Laval University associate professor Egide Royer.

“I've been repeating the same thing for the last 25 years, mostly because when I speak about my field and the research in my field, this is what is important,” said Royer, who calls the Couillard government's new approach a "Quiet Revolution" in education.

“Not only me, but for many educators, we are really amazed at what is happening now,” he said, adding that his only criticism is the government’s timeline.

“It should be implemented as soon as possible,” he said.

Under the resolution adopted by the party, the plan wouldn't be complete before 2025.