The Quebec government wants to find ways to make students more successful.
Calling education a priority, Premier Philippe Couillard said he is seeking to adopt a new policy on student success covering early childhood to adulthood.
Couillard and the Education Minister Sebastien Proulx are learning from students, teachers and parents during a two-day consultation in Quebec City. Proulx has been gathering feedback for the past several weeks on a tour across the province to delve into the issue.
One of their main objectives is to reduce the drop-out rate.
Couillard pointed to the $1.2-billion investment in schools over three years announced in the spring budget.
In an economic update last month, the government promised to invest more into schools, including an immediate $35-million injection into the system.
The consultation comes at a time when the two largest English school boards in Quebec are under investigation by the province's anti-corruption unit over allegations of financial irregularities.
On Wednesday, Proulx named an auditor to investigate practices at the boards.
On Thursday, the premier said he had no comments on the specifics of the investigations, simply adding that “everybody has to answer for their actions" and no one is above the law.
He was also cautious, and said this is an investigation and there are only allegations at this point. No one has been charged with any crime.
He said the allegations didn’t draw away from the consultations that are underway.
“You've heard the representatives of the English school boards. They all are very engaged and very justifiably proud of what they have achieved. Actually, what they do, we also see in some of our French-speaking institutions, so we want to share these best practices. No, I didn't feel any drop in the level of motivation,” he said.
