Summer school enrollment doubles in Montreal region

School service centres in the Montreal area are experiencing a significant increase in summer school enrollment this year.

Some school centres on the island and the south coast are reporting significant increases, including the St-Hyacinthe School Service Centre which reported a 114 per cent increase in enrolment, the Marie-Victorin School Service Centre a 46 per cent increase and the Montreal School Centre a 48 per cent increase.

Tutoring lessons are free this year

The Quebec government has made summer courses offered by school service centres free this year as part of the province’s academic catch-up plan, announced earlier this year by the Minister of Education following the teachers’ strike.

School service centers had to urgently look for additional teachers to meet the great demand for tutoring.

According to educators, a month of vacation is equivalent to two weeks of hardship for some young people, and even more for some students. For many children in Quebec, summer school is therefore necessary.

Those who failed and are unable to access summer courses due to high demand can still continue their studies next year, while taking catch-up lessons in the subject they failed.

Students catch up after teachers’ strike

On November 23, some 66,000 teachers went on strike for 22 days, leading to the closure of some 800 public schools, all or mainly in the French sector.

The Fédération autonomie de l’enseignement (FAE), the union representing teachers, narrowly reached an agreement with the province in February.

When students returned to school after the winter break, the province unveiled a $300 million academic catch-up plan to make up for lost time.

About 40 percent of teachers in the province’s school system are represented by the FAE.