In order to promote the academic success of students in the context of the pandemic, the Government of Quebec is adding three days of training and planning to the school calendar for the 2020-2021 school year.
The Minister of Education, Jean-François Roberge, announced on Thursday, October 29th , an amendment to the Basic school regulation for preschool, elementary and secondary education. According to Minister Roberge, this modification will more specifically allow three days of professional enrichment to be devoted to school-team members. Still according to Mr. Roberge, this is an opportunity for school staff to improve their skills in new teaching methods, to acquire new skills in connection with technological tools and distance education, to promote the sharing of good practices and to better plan the months to come in a context where distance education services are an integral part of the current educational landscape.
“We have full confidence in the expertise and judgment of the school-team members, who will certainly get the best out of these training days, said Minister of Education Jean-François Roberge. School service centers and schools will be able to use these days at the time of their choice and according to their respective needs.”
In order to avoid penalizing parents, daycare services for these three days will be offered free of charge to all preschool and elementary-age children who are usually registered there.
Note that these three days must take place between October 29th , 2020 and the end of the 2020-2021 school year and not take place more than one day per month. It is also important to specify that the situation of the spread of the COVID virus recently led the government of Quebec to take additional measures to specify the teaching conditions to be applied in the school context. Among other things, the school year is divided into two stages rather than three and the school network must resort to distance education, which is a major challenge for which more preparation and support are necessary.
“Since the start of the pandemic, school staff have shown great professionalism in providing quality and safe educational support to all students in Quebec, confirms Mr. Roberge. In this unusual context, I would like to underline their sustained efforts as well as their great professional autonomy. Thanks to these three days of additional training and planning, school personnel will benefit from continuing education, which will promote the academic success of all students.”
A good strategy for success, according to the AQCS
The Association Québécoise des Cadres Scolaires (AQCS) welcomes Minister Jean-François Roberge’s decision to add pedagogical days for elementary and secondary.
The President and CEO of AQCS, Jean-François Parent indicates that these days will allow teachers to continue their training with technological tools and to adapt their pedagogical planning, if necessary.
“This school year is particularly demanding, and it is important that the staff working with the students benefit from moments of development. It is a good strategy to ensure educational success, in the current context”, mentions Mr. Jean-François Parent.
Finally, it should be noted that the AQCS represents more than 2,400 executives working in the 72 school service centers in Quebec.
