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Confederation of National Trade Unions Rejects Proposed Education Reform Bill

We think the energy should be put elsewheresummarizes Caroline Senneville, president of the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN).

In fact, we find that there is no connection between the situation that is experienced in the school system, in schools today, and what the bill bringsshe adds.

According to CSNwho will submit his brief to the parliamentary committee on Thursday, the Minister of Education should do more to tackle problems such as staff shortages, students’ learning difficulties and cases of violence in certain establishments, leaves to abandon his reform.

With this bill, Bernard Drainville is granting himself significant powers. It would allow him to appoint the directors of school service centres, who would have renewable five-year terms, but also to cancel their decisions if they do not respect the government’s objectives and directions.

In addition, it abolishes the Superior Council of Education, which will henceforth be solely responsible for higher education, to create the National Institute of Excellence in Education.

The CSNlike the Autonomous Federation of Education (FAE) and the Federation of Education Unions (FSE-CSQ), fears that this new body, responsible for collecting evidence, is not really independent.

We fear over-politicization […] and also micromanagement, explains Caroline Senneville. And it’s anything but a vote of confidence for the people on the ground.

Discouraged parents?

The Federation of Parents’ Committees of Quebec (FCPQ) also shares his concerns.

Almost all parents’ committees and parent members of boards of directors are against the appointment of general managers by the ministercan we read in his brief, also filed on Thursday.

Parents are concerned that, by reporting to the minister, some directorates-general are more concerned with meeting the minister’s expectations than with educational success, it is written. The general managers of school service centers must remain apolitical, that is to say that they must maintain their autonomy and independence from the government at all times, in the interest of the children.

Currently, directors general are appointed by the boards of directors of school service centres, one-third of whose members, including the chair and vice-chair, are parents.

“What’s the point of getting involved?” asks Kévin Roy, president of the FCPQ. Do I really feel useful as a parent involved in the proceedings if someone else can come and undo the decision I have just made? […] Do we come to value the role of parents?

He fears that some of them will move away from the management of the school network and that recruitment will be more difficult, especially since they hold positions on a voluntary basis.

“We are clearly wondering, at the federation, if it was the priority of the moment,” adds Kévin Roy.

As the CSNhe is of the opinion that the Minister should have dwelled on other problems in education and that he could, for example, have considered the framework bill on sexual violence, tabled by Québec solidaire with support from other opposition parties.

Favorable school managements

Bernard Drainville’s proposals are still welcomed “positively” by the Quebec Federation of Educational Establishment Directors (FQDE).

The compulsory continuous training of teachers, the supervision of distance education and the creation of a National Institute of Excellence in Education are some of the good moves raised by its president.

“These are things we asked for,” says Nicolas Prévost, also expected at the special consultations on Bill 23 on Thursday. “We see that in a good light. »

The FQDEunlike other players in the community, agrees with the appointment of directors general of school service centers by the Minister, but still gives him a warning: […] questioning certain decisions or even expressing an opinion is one thing, but it is absolutely necessary to be careful not to micromanagewe read in his memoir.

Canceling a decision taken by a board of directors “goes much too far”, believes Nicolas Prévost.

The Minister of Education affirms that his reform will improve academic success, in particular thanks to better access to data, but it is clear that he will have work to do to convince.

2023-06-01 10:05:16
#Education #reform #Bernard #Drainville #face #resistance

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