Teachers, parents and experts are breathing a sigh of relief at the end of the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) strike, but they already fear its impact on student success.
• Also read: Fundamental agreement: The FAE ends its strike
• Also read: Public sector negotiations: The Common Front reaches an agreement in principle
• Also read: The FAE reaches an agreement with the government
“I'm really excited to be going back to work, but it also brings with it anxiety. We don't know what to expect. We still have a lot of catching up to do,” said Jasmine Fortier, a sixth-grade teacher at Ahuntsic Elementary School.
She is one of 66,500 FAE teachers who will return to the classroom after returning from vacation after an indefinite general strike shortened the school year by 22 days.
For Ms. Fortier, this is almost a second year of school with several schedule adjustments. “The first thing we need to do is the human side, so see how the students are doing and how they are feeling before we start talking about learning. It's like going back to the beginning of summer, so instead of running a marathon again, we're going to warm up. “We’ll check again to see what was forgotten and then we’ll move on,” emphasizes the teacher.
Issue
The FAE reached an agreement in principle with the Legault government on Thursday, but members have not yet seen it. They will be called to a general meeting after the holidays to decide whether they approve or reject it.
Many are eagerly awaiting the compromises that will be made in class composition and teaching materials.
Geneviève Groleau, teacher Photo provided by Geneviève Groleau
“This year, 50% of my class is in trouble, and I'm talking about serious cases. I have no additional help,” complains Geneviève Groleau, a third and fourth grade teacher at the Cœur-des-Vallées School Service Center (CSSCV) in Outaouais.
If parents are relieved that their children can finally go back to class, the 22 days of strike will have left their mark.
“loss of motivation”
“The children will be away from school for seven weeks. It is a loss of motivation and pace of learning that is enormous,” emphasizes Sylvain Martin, president of the Regroupement des Committees de Parents Nationaux du Québec.
It is difficult to assess the long-term effects of a strike of this magnitude in the school environment, says the founder of the regional council for the prevention of school dropouts, Michel Perron.
However, he emphasizes that the few studies carried out in this area in the country show that children at the end of primary school who have already had academic difficulties are most affected.
“We will have to pay special attention to them,” believes the retired sociologist.
“We need to get started and see how we can make up for this delay, not at a discount, so that these children can reach their full potential.”
potential,” adds Dr. Gilles Julien added, relieved that the strike will not continue in January.
The FIQ will not “give in”
If the government has reached an agreement with FAE and the Common Front, negotiations with the Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ) appear to be fraught with pitfalls.
The union representing 80,000 health workers said in a newsletter yesterday that it would not “give in” to “flexibility” demanded by Quebec.
Union representatives criticize the lack of “listening from the management side”, especially on issues such as “discharge, overtime and compensation for inconvenience”.
What they said:
“It’s a relief, but it also comes with concern about how we can make up for this lost time.”
– Sylvain Martel, President of the Regroupement des Committees de Parents Nationaux du Québec
Sylvain Martel archive photo, QMI Agency
“If the strike had continued in January, the delays would have been impossible to make up for”
– Dr. Gilles Julien, social pediatrician
Dr. Gilles Julien archive photo, QMI Agency
“The teachers have to explain to the children what happened because at the moment there are parents in the families who are dissatisfied and others who support the teachers.”
– Michel Perron, retired sociologist and founder of the Regional Council for the Prevention of School Dropouts
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