If I were to announce now that we’re going to hold a general assembly, we’re going to walk around for a year, we’re going to talk, we’re going to confer. It will take us another year to write the report and at least another year to implement itsaid Mr. Drainville, who wants to move faster to improve the situation.

We have solutions, so let’s implement them.

One of the seven priorities that he presented last Thursday, increasing the efficiency of the school network, seems to him to be indispensable for this.

I have 72 school service centers and school boards and they are not connected. We need to set up systems that allow us to talk to each other.

Reevaluate French

High on Mr Drainville’s list of priorities is the question of reviving French, particularly the written form, although this has been criticized for not offering many solutions at the moment. On this subject, he recalled that he had only been in office for 101 days and asked that he be given some time.

I prefer to take my time, even if it means being criticized a bit. If I propose measures, I will have thought about them and discussed them with people who know about them, he said. This week I answered the question what are your priorities?

Bernard Drainville also wants to address the problem of labor shortages in schools, particularly by restoring a fast track to teacher certification. He proposes setting up a 30-credit program that would allow qualified teachers to be trained faster.

We must hire new teachers, said Mr. Drainville. And I am convinced that there are many people with a high school diploma in mathematics, geography, history, French who might be interested.

The Minister of Education also believes he has found a solution to empower teachers in the classrooms.

The teachers in the day-care center are there at lunchtime and in the evening, but have gaps in between. We could bring her into the classroom as a helper to lend a hand as a second adult. A measure that has been very well received.

I’m not saying it will fix everything, but you have to start somewhere. There are educators willing to help us. We must accept this help and reward them accordingly.

He believes these educators could make a big difference in classes that have integrated students with special needs.

While acknowledging that some students have greater needs and require specific resources, he believes the current system is still adequate.

There are still special classes for students with high needs. However, from the early 2000s to the late 1990s, we made a commitment to include students with special needs in our classes. Science says these kids are doing well and that the mix between students is working.

On the other hand, it is true that in some classes a quarter of the students have special needs and it becomes very difficult for the teachers to keep control. This is exactly why I want to bring a second adult into the class.

Other educational projects

Mr. Drainville would also like to implement more concrete projects in the school network.

I would like all secondary schools in Quebec to have a specific project. About half have one now. It can refer to sports, music, dance, arts, technology, etc. As I toured the schools, it broke my heart to hear that in some places there were students who were in nothing.

He stressed the need to promote vocational training and renovate schools.

To carry out all these projects, he assures that he will have the support of his government. He says he has already discussed it with his colleagues Sonia Lebel from the Treasury Board and Eric Girard from Finance. He will shortly know how much is available to him when the provincial budget is presented in March.

Given the magnitude of the task at hand, Mr. Drainville does not pretend to have an answer for everything.

I brought ideas. I’m not saying they are perfect. Budgets and details are still pending and I’m aware of that.said Mr. Drainville.

The goal is not to solve all problems, because I will not be able to do that. Besides, I can’t do it alone. We will do it together, because education is a joint task.