Quebec unveils curriculum reform to replace former Ethics and Religious Culture program
Quebec unveiled an overhaul to its curriculum Sunday with a new program promising "a better understanding of our culture," according to the education minister.
The new program called "Culture and Citizenship in Quebec" will replace the former Ethics and Religious Culture program, also known as ERC.
Education Minister Jean-François Roberge announced the change Sunday, adding that a pilot project would roll out in classrooms across the province at the start of the 2022 school year. The program will be taught province-wide by 2023.
We have a Quebec way of life. We have our artists, francophone and anglophone. We have our cultural legacy and that’s the culture here in Quebec. We are not ashamed to share this culture with our kids," said Roberge.
The new program is built on three main aspects: "culture," "citizenship in Quebec," and "dialogue and critical thinking."
The "culture" componant will "highlight Quebec culture, which defines our society."
"This will allow students to grasp the culture in which they operate," read a Sunday press release, "and understand that each society is influenced by a different cultural context."
"Quebec citizenship," the second componant, aims to teach students about civic life and media literacy. It will also cover "fundamental principles" like "self respect, freedom of expression and concience, equality and secularism."
In the third componant, "dialogue and critical thinking," students "will be asked to question themselves and tackle moral dilemmas," read the announcement, "to examine cultural, religious, scientific and social references."
But not everyone thinks this change is the right approach.
Westmount High School teacher Dr. Sabrina Jafralie says fewer discussions about religion's influence "is a gross mistake."
"We have to acknowledge that religion is part of people's identity, whether you're religious or not," said Jafralie, who teachers the Culture and Quebec Citizenship program.
She questioned whether the revision is just a political strategy by the CAQ government.
"For me, this signals a political puppet play."
LISTEN ON CJAD 800 RADIO: Quebec wants to teach "critical thinking"...what is that? Political analyst Tom Mulcair weighs in
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.