A Blueprint for Restructured Education in Quebec

McConaghy, Tom, Phi Delta Kappan

Quebec has finally joined the other provinces in taking a thorough look at its education system in an effort to bring it up to date. Whereas most of the other provinces established "Royal Commissions" to investigate their education systems, Quebec called its own commission the "Estates General." Established in May 1995, this body released its report, titled The State of Education in Quebec, in April 1996.(1)

The report outlined the main concerns of 2,000 participants in 56 days of public hearings held between May and October 1995. Many of the concerns raised at these hearings were not unlike those heard in other provinces. From the great diversity of opinion expressed in these hearings and in submitted documents, the commission was to distill recommendations for Minister of Education Pauline Marois.

The report of the Estates General represents the completion of the first stage of the mandate given the commission. In the follow-up stage, which has now been completed, 16 regional committees were given 43 questions (taken from The State of Education in Quebec) that the commission deemed most important for discussion at regional conferences. The follow-up report, Summary of the Regional Conferences, was discussed at a provincial conference held in the fall of 1996.

Based on these discussions, the Estates General was to make recommendations to Minister Marois. The underlying issue raised …

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Publication information: Article title: A Blueprint for Restructured Education in Quebec. Contributors: McConaghy, Tom - Author. Journal title: Phi Delta Kappan. Volume: 78. Issue: 4 Publication date: December 1996. Page number: 334+. © 1999 Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. COPYRIGHT 1996 Gale Group.

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