MONTREAL,
March 17, 2009 – Jacques Ménard, chair of the
Groupe d’action sur la persévérance et la réussite
scolaires and president of BMO Financial Group, Quebec, noted with
regret today. “Facing this situation, we have no choice but
to launch an effort involving all of Quebec society in order to reduce
the dropout rate.”
L. Jacques Ménard and the nearly 30 members of the action group
feel that it is possible to increase the graduation rate among 20-year-olds
from its current 69 per cent to more than 80 per cent within a decade. “Accomplishing
this will absolutely require that student retention and success becomes
the business of all society, not just the schools and the education department,” said
Ménard. “Every initiative taken in every region, in every
district, in every field where it’s required, must contribute to
students’ success and place enough pressure on the Quebec government
that it will follow the Ontario government’s example and become
truly involved in the fight to reduce the dropout rate using all necessary
means.”
“All the initiatives that have proved successful in the field
of student retention and success share a number of characteristics. These
include a strong leader ready to become involved in the fight; community
involvement; a relationship of trust between the young person and the
person or persons coaching him or her; and excellent coordination among
the players at the various levels,” said Michel Perron, founder
of the Conseil régional de prévention de l’abandon
scolaire au Saguenay–Lac-St-Jean (CRÉPAS) and head of the
organization’s student retention project between 1996 and 2003.
CRÉPAS has helped bring about a significant increase in the graduation
rate in the Saguenay–Lac-St-Jean region.
The McKinsey & Company consulting firm generously assisted the action
group in developing a response plan that, with adjustments to meet the
specific requirements of each region, school, district or town, could
contribute to the success of the fight to lower the dropout rate. “We
studied models that have worked here and abroad and, with the help of
Quebec’s top experts in the field, have drawn the necessary lessons,” said Éric
Lamarre, Managing Director, Montreal Office, McKinsey & Company.
“That nearly
one young person in three celebrates his or her 20th birthday without
a high school diploma is a fact that should leave none of us
indifferent, especially in a world where knowledge is the key to freedom
and independence,” said L. Jacques Ménard. “Without
laying blame on anyone, it is time to acknowledge that all the studies
we’ve consulted show that not completing high school is far too
often a generator of poverty and reduced involvement in community life—in
short, a tragedy, above all for the individuals concerned but also for
society as a whole. I turned my attention to this issue following the
publication of my book, Si on s’y mettait…, because I strongly
believe it is through education that Quebec will achieve its full potential.” Mr. Ménard pointed to the success announced last week by Ontario’s
premier, who decided to become personally involved in the fight to reduce
the dropout rate with the support of the education minister and many
partners. Ontario has been able to raise its high school graduation rate
from 68% five years ago to 77% today. “Success like this doesn’t
happen by chance,” Mr. Ménard emphasized. “It is the
result of a large number of community-based initiatives and a significant
commitment by the Ontario government, which has understood that educating
young people is the best way to maintain the province’s standard
of living and economic growth.”
“Student retention and success is everybody’s business.
Each young person who succeeds in obtaining a diploma is also a success
for his or her entire community. In our report, we put forward various
approaches and identify the main ball carriers. We hope that all the
parties involved, in particular the Quebec government, will put their
shoulders to the wheel. Our success as a society depends on it,” Mr.
Ménard concluded.
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