To standardize and expedite complaints handling in Quebec schools, the government appoints its first national student ombudsman. This is Jean-François Bernier, former Deputy Ombudsman.
Posted at 11:36 am
Marie-Eve Morasse The press
Mr. Bernier was chosen because of his “excellent command of dispute resolution mechanisms and good knowledge of Quebec’s education system,” the Education Ministry said in a press release issued Thursday morning. He is currently President of the Quebec Conditional Liberation Commission.
The Legault government has pledged to reform the way complaints are handled in schools, particularly after the release of a highly critical report by the Québec Ombudsman in 2017, which found that the exercise appeared to be a “Obstacle course”.
The lack of independence of the student ombudspersons responsible for processing these complaints in the school service centers was also noted. In some places, the student ombudsman had not received any complaints for an entire school year. This was explained by a “high level of satisfaction” among parents and students.
The reform, which will come into force at the beginning of the 2023 school year, must ensure a reduction in the time it takes to process complaints and a maximum of three procedural steps.
In this context, the National Student Ombudsman (PNE) must ensure that all students in Quebec, “high-risk constituencies”, have access to a fair complaints review process.
In an interview with La Presse last week, Education Minister Jean-François Roberge assured that this new approach represents a real “cultural change” for schools.