50% of Quebec boys don’t finish high school in 5 years

Quebec's dropout rates can't be compared with Ontario's: minister

Comparing Quebec's education system with that of Ontario is the equivalent of comparing apples with oranges, the education minister says.

Comparing Quebec’s education system with that of Ontario is the equivalent of comparing apples with oranges, Education Minister Sébastien Proulx said Wednesday in the wake of a report critical of Quebec’s high dropout rate.

That report, produced by the Institut du Québec, indicates that the graduation rate in Quebec is the lowest of all 10 provinces and that the situation faced by boys, handicapped students and pupils with learning disabilities is particularly worrisome.

The Institut’s report, made public Wednesday, found that Quebec’s graduation rate of 64 per cent hasn’t budged in nearly a decade and that the rate is 20 per cent lower than in Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. And that success deficit increases to 25 per cent when the graduation rate of boys in the Quebec system is compared with their counterparts in Ontario.

However, Proulx insisted to reporters on Wednesday that comparisons with the Ontario system are flawed because while this province compiles graduation rates for the entire, five-year secondary cycle, Ontario only does so for the last three.

Proulx also said that means Quebec’s graduation rate is 60 per cent compared with 50 per cent for Ontario. He also said the requirements for a diploma are more demanding in this province than in Ontario.

“Understand what I’m saying,” Proulx said. “I’m not saying these distinctions excuse anything. I’m just saying apples should be compared with apples and not oranges.” 

Proulx acknowledged Quebec has work to do, particularly in the area of literacy. However, he dismissed the idea that increased funding for the education system was the solution.

That point of view is shared by the Institut, which proposes instead that best practices in education elsewhere be adopted by the province and that an institute for excellence in education be created.

Meanwhile, in the National Assembly, opposition parties accused the Liberals of being responsible for the results of the Institut’s critical report because of their on-again off-again funding of the education system.

Parti Québécois Leader Jean-François Lisée suggested the Couillard government had cut $16 million in funding from the system before reinvesting money back into the department.

Québec Solidaire took the same line of attack, saying cuts followed by reinvestment had made it difficult for the system to function efficiently.

The Coalition Avenir Québec called for kindergarten classes to begin at age 4 and that schooling be obligatory until age 18.

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