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The Ministry of Education in Quebec

Student’s First Name, Middle Initial(s), Last Name

Institutional Affiliation

Course Number and Name

Instructor’s Name and Title

Assignment Due Date

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The Ministry of Education in Quebec

The process of education in Quebec has come through various stages of development since

the seventeenth century. Although there were periods when the government conducted the policy of

promoting education for people from all walks of life and different age, significant changes in

educational system occurred in 1964 when the Ministry of Education was established. Last fifty

years of development were especially efficient as a lot of effort was put in order to create a single

education system.

The turning point of the progress in the educational system was the Quiet Revolution – the

episode of Canadian history which was characterized by intense social and political changes. The

governmental policy was directed at improving public education at each level: preschool,

elementary and secondary, college, and university education. A Royal Commission on educational

investigation which was also called Parent Commission was established in 1961. The members of

the Commission published a detailed report on the experience and instructions they received from

the foreign professionals from educational establishments of other countries. The recommendations

worked out by the specialists became the cornerstones of the modern educational system in Quebec.

After the release of the report, in 1964, the Ministry of Education was established. Formerly,

education was considered to be a unique privilege, but no more, because everyone was entitled to

obtain education, and the government strove to ensure equal educational opportunity for all citizens.

The policy makers stressed the necessity of building new schools and fostering free and compulsory

education. The objectives set by the government required complete control over the educational

system and constant monitoring of progress at each succeeding level. The period between the start

of the Quiet Revolution and the establishment of the Ministry of Education was the preparatory

process before adopting new reforms. So, 1964 was the year when the rapid growth of education

came into existence.

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The Policy on Educational Success followed by the government helped to develop a

comprehensive approach to educational success. The objectives are set higher than qualification

rates and graduation. They focus on early intervention and promote the observance of

responsibilities of each party involved. The most important challenge was to renovate the

educational process, extending it from childhood to adulthood with the tendency of promotion the

lifelong learning. A lot of schools, vocational training centers, childcare centers, adult education

centers subject to further development and success. The Ministry of Education in Quebec played a

vital role in providing services for students of all ages and fighting illiteracy. As a result, the

indicators of academic performance have been growing for last fifty years, the attendance rate

increased rapidly, and the educational establishments of Quebec started acquiring positions in

international ratings. The primary task – to help students achieve success – was completed.

All in all, the changes in governmental social and cultural policy resulted in incremental and

steady development, which allowed all students of Quebec to acquire knowledge in all academic

spheres. This way the prosperous future and inevitable success of all citizens were ensured by the

government.