Concerns raised about rate of absenteeism in Quebec schools
There are concerns about absenteeism in Quebec schools as it seems a growing number of students just aren't showing up for class.
According to La Presse, the education ministry's statistics show that in the first week of April,
9.5 per cent of students in public elementary and secondary schools were absent — almost as many as during the pandemic.
"The fact that children are missing school goes together with motivation, goes together with mental health issues," Katherine Korakakis, president of the English Parents' Committee Association, told CTV News.
In January, the association conducted a survey on students' well-being and quality of life and received responses from 14,000 parents.
"The top things that we saw was motivation and mental health being a very key factor that parents were identifying," Korakakis said.
Public health experts who worked on the survey calculated what they call "quality of life." They say a score of 100 is considered "excellent" but the average score for Quebec students was just 64 per cent, which korakakis believes is what's leading to the rise in absenteeism.
"There needs to be a concerted effort from all educational stakeholders to address this serious rise in mental health issues with children," she said.
In an email to CTV News, the Lester B. Pearson School Board said it is "very aware of the issue of student absenteeism and we are taking a proactive approach in terms of addressing the issue. In the school board’s commitment to success plan, one of our objectives is to reduce these absences by 10 per cent by the 2026-2027 school year. This is part of our plan to improve effectiveness at meeting the academic needs of diverse learners."
Korakakis says efforts need to be made now for vulnerable students.
"The educational stakeholders have to come together and it has to be led by the government to say, 'We prioritize this, this is an issue, let's do something about it,'" she said.
When asked about the increase in student absenteeism, the education minister said Tuesday that ultimately it's up to parents to decide if children are well enough to be in class.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Princess Anne to take part in B.C. ceremony bringing new ship into Pacific fleet
Canada's first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel will officially be brought into the Pacific fleet today and Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles, is scheduled to take part in its commissioning ceremony.
NEW Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
More than half of Canadians say freedom of speech is under threat, new poll suggests
A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians feel their right to freedom of speech is in danger.
How falling for a stranger she met on a beach led this woman to ditch the U.S. for the French Riviera
Niki Benjamin, from the U.S., had travelled to a paradise island to do some soul searching, and her life ended up going in a very different direction when her dog ran up to a stranger.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Feds giving Toronto more than $104M to host 2026 FIFA World Cup
The federal government will provide Toronto just over $104 million in funding to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Police move in to clear NYU encampment, U.S. campus arrests grow to 2,200 in pro-Palestinian protests
Police moved in to clear an encampment at New York University on Friday at the request of school officials, a move that follows weeks of pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses nationwide that have resulted in nearly 2,200 arrests by police.
Wally, the emotional support alligator once denied entry to a baseball game, is missing
Emotional support animal registrations in the United States reached 115,832 last year, by an industry group’s count. But in the eyes of reptile rescuer Joie Henney, there’s only one: 'Wally Gator.'
Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.