Quebec launches offensive to prevent school dropout 

As the start of the new school year approaches, a vast offensive will be launched by the Réseau québécois pour la réussite éducative (RQRÉ) to convince young people to go back to school, as many fear an increase in the number of school dropouts at the start of the school year related to the unprecedented health crisis. 

Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic brought numerous consequences for the entire population—young people included. Some have returned to the classroom, while others have had prolonged interruptions to their education, but all have experienced a disruption. For some students, according to several experts, this may lead to significant setbacks, while others may have reduced motivation for returning to school, to the point where some may simply decide not to return to school this fall. 

That's why the RQRÉ team decided to create a special edition of Hooked on School Days (HSD) for the start of the 2020 school year. Held annually throughout Quebec for the past 14 years, usually in February, HSD are a special occasion to highlight the importance of staying in school, for the well-being of both individual students and society as a whole. HSD also celebrate the vital work of those who help young people fulfill their potential.  

Under the slogan "Back to School. Together. For them.", this campaign, focused on student motivation, will be launched on August 17 in all regions of Quebec and will run for three weeks. It will have two objectives: to mobilize the significant adults in young people's lives by highlighting their role as motivators, and to help create a climate conducive to this exceptional back-to-school season. 

The RQRÉ team explained that the purpose of holding the HSD in August is to encourage and motivate young people by carrying a positive, caring and unifying message. 

"The priority for the next few weeks is to get each of our young people back to school," said Andrée Mayer-Périard, president of the RQRÉ. "High school students haven't set foot in school for four months, and interruptions in school attendance often represent key moments for a young person thinking of dropping out," she pointed out. The academic setbacks of many young people during this time may be discouraging for some.

Advertisements will be broadcast on radio and television, and video capsules will be posted on social networks, where young people will share their experiences.

--Employer awareness 

A special call will be made to employers, to remind them that the young people they have hired in recent months must return to school. As an employer, simply initiating a return-to-school discussion with the student can be beneficial, especially if the student is tempted to focus on his or her job. It is important to open the discussion and to emphasize the importance of returning to school. It goes without saying that parents play a crucial role, since family support remains the best defence in preventing kids from dropping out of school. 

Ms Mayer-Périard said that special attention must be paid to students who will have to make a transition, whether they are entering kindergarten, high school or CEGEP, under very exceptional conditions.

This campaign is financially supported by the Ministry of Education and several other donors.

[Local Journalism Initiative]