Kindergarten to the public: Roberge not favorable to admission tests
The Minister of Education, Jean-François Roberge, lip service to the admission tests in kindergarten to public school, but he does not intend to intervene to stop this practice which is the responsibility of school service centers.
Little Frédérique could not access the same public school as her older brother, because she failed the 4-year-old kindergarten admission test. She is seen with her father Louis-Michel Langevin on Thursday.
The Journal reported Friday that a 4-year-old girl will not be able to attend the same public school as her older brother next year because she failed the admission process, a situation denounced by her parents.
In this Quebec City school, the international education program is taught to all students while
other institutions offer the same training without selection.
"Selecting students from kindergarten, separating siblings and choosing who will access a primary school, in the public network moreover, should not be a preferred option. Now that decision is up to the school service centre. School service centers are responsible for the school organization and the distribution of students among the schools in their territory, "said Minister Roberge
in a written statement, sent to the Journal Friday.
For PQ MP Véronique Hivon, this is a "very clear and concrete illustration" of a "dysfunctional"
three-speed education system that can no longer be tolerated".
"Giving a four-year-old admission test to go to his or her neighbourhood school is beyond comprehension. It's the opposite of what public schools have to offer," she says.
Minister Roberge's reaction "adds insult to insult", adds Mme Hivon. "If he doesn't think it's desirable, let him say it clearly and change things. It's used for that, politics," she says.
Mme Hivon believes that Quebec is ripe for a major project to reduce inequalities in education.
A "sleight of hand" to correct
For her part, Liberal MP Marwah Rizqy denounces an "administrative sleight of hand that the Minister of Education should correct".
The practice is legal, according to the ministry. A school may offer a specific selective program in a public school provided that it also offers the regular program, accessible to all.
The Journal reported Friday that a 4-year-old girl will not be able to attend the same public school as her older brother next year because she failed the admission process, a situation denounced by her parents.
In this Quebec City school, the international education program is taught to all students while
other institutions offer the same training without selection.
"Selecting students from kindergarten, separating siblings and choosing who will access a primary school, in the public network moreover, should not be a preferred option. Now that decision is up to the school service centre. School service centers are responsible for the school organization and the distribution of students among the schools in their territory, "said Minister Roberge
in a written statement, sent to the Journal Friday.
For PQ MP Véronique Hivon, this is a "very clear and concrete illustration" of a "dysfunctional"
three-speed education system that can no longer be tolerated".
"Giving a four-year-old admission test to go to his or her neighbourhood school is beyond comprehension. It's the opposite of what public schools have to offer," she says.
Minister Roberge's reaction "adds insult to insult", adds Mme Hivon. "If he doesn't think it's desirable, let him say it clearly and change things. It's used for that, politics," she says.
Mme Hivon believes that Quebec is ripe for a major project to reduce inequalities in education.
A "sleight of hand" to correct
For her part, Liberal MP Marwah Rizqy denounces an "administrative sleight of hand that the Minister of Education should correct".
The practice is legal, according to the ministry. A school may offer a specific selective program in a public school provided that it also offers the regular program, accessible to all.
However, École Monseigneur-Robert is one of the buildings of the École de l'Harmonie, an administrative structure that includes another institution located 1.6 kilometres away, École Saint-Édouard, where the regular program is offered.
"To claim that two schools located 1.6 km away are 'one' and the same school: it is fallacious! Children have the right to attend their neighbourhood school," said Mme Rizqy on social media.
The First Seigneuries school service centre "grossly exaggerates the interpretation of the same school," she told the Journal, while denouncing the presence of admission tests from the age of four in the public network.
For her part, solidarity MP Christine Labrie denounces "school segregation" within the public network.
Québec solidaire proposes instead to prohibit schools "that receive public funding" from selecting their students and making special programs free, in order to ensure "equal opportunities," she said in a post on social networks.
At the Centre de services des Premières-Seigneuries, it is explained that this particular program is offered to all students in the territory, rather than being reserved for students in the neighbourhood, because of the high interest of parents in this training.
The number of applications for this program is twice as high as the number of places available.
"To claim that two schools located 1.6 km away are 'one' and the same school: it is fallacious! Children have the right to attend their neighbourhood school," said Mme Rizqy on social media.
The First Seigneuries school service centre "grossly exaggerates the interpretation of the same school," she told the Journal, while denouncing the presence of admission tests from the age of four in the public network.
For her part, solidarity MP Christine Labrie denounces "school segregation" within the public network.
Québec solidaire proposes instead to prohibit schools "that receive public funding" from selecting their students and making special programs free, in order to ensure "equal opportunities," she said in a post on social networks.
At the Centre de services des Premières-Seigneuries, it is explained that this particular program is offered to all students in the territory, rather than being reserved for students in the neighbourhood, because of the high interest of parents in this training.
The number of applications for this program is twice as high as the number of places available.
DAPHNÉE DION-VIENS
JOURNAL DE MONTRÉAL
Kindergarten to the public: Roberge not favorable to admission tests | JDM (journaldemontreal.com)
JOURNAL DE MONTRÉAL
Kindergarten to the public: Roberge not favorable to admission tests | JDM (journaldemontreal.com)
