Quebec education minister wants to improve students' command of French
To improve French proficiency among elementary and high school students, Education Minister Bernard Drainville is proposing, among other things, daily writing exercises.
The pass rate for the Secondary 5 written exam has dropped from 79 per cent in 2019 to 69 per cent in 2022. Only 48 per cent of students achieved a passing grade on the grammar and spelling criterion.
This "decline cannot continue," said Mr. Drainville at a press conference in Quebec City on Monday.
He unveiled the "orientations" he will give to a group of experts tasked with reviewing French programs between now and 2025. Among other things, he will ask them to give their opinion on the benefits for children of daily writing exercises.
The minister also wants teachers of all subjects to pay attention to the French mistakes made in assignments and exams, and to give students feedback on the quality of their French.
He gave the example of a history teacher who might decide not to correct a paper full of spelling mistakes.
The Ministry of Education will identify the most frequent errors made by students in French tests, and share this picture with teachers, to enable them to better target the actions to be put in place.
Drainville also promised to add French-language pedagogical advisers to schools, who will "support and accompany" teachers who teach other subjects.
At the moment, however, Quebec is struggling to find enough qualified teachers to teach in the classroom: "It's a huge challenge," Drainville admitted.
He also said he wanted to integrate more of Quebec's culture into the teaching of French.
"We can't afford to watch results plummet ... We need a turnaround. Everyone has to pitch in," he said.
"French teachers need more support. We have to help them and all the other teachers because the quality of French at school has to become a matter for the whole school team," he added.
For the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), this is a series of "intentions" and "orientations."
"We want to be part of the discussion at every stage of the process," said CSQ President Éric Gingras in a press release.
"It's society as a whole that must mobilize to protect and preserve the French language," he added.
Québec solidaire (QS) education spokesperson Ruba Ghazal also welcomed the minister's willingness to review French programs.
"Despite these good intentions, the minister must not forget that if we want to improve the teaching of French in our classrooms, we must act against the shortage of staff in the network," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.