The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
CS-ISC-06e

Bibliographic reference :
Dandurand, P. (1990). Démocratie et école au Québec: bilan et défis. Dans F. Dumont, & Y. Martin (Éds.), L'éducation 25 ans plus tard. Et après? (pp. 37-60). Québec : Institut québécois de recherche sur la culture.

Abstract :

In a chapter of the book written by F. Dumont and Y. Martin on Quebec schools entitled L’éducation 25 ans plus tard. Et après? (education 25 years later; what of it?), Pierre Dandurand provides an update on the school system evolution since the Quiet Revolution and points out current challenges. Through this analysis, he raises certain educational inequality issues such as accessibility, selective school systems and influence of certain social movements on educational supply and demand.

Reform of the 70s
Dandurand points out that Quebec schools in the 60s were characterized by much lower educational attainment among French-speaking Quebeckers and too early selection largely based on gender and class status. A major reform in education was initiated and soon after, a remarkable increase in secondary and post-secondary enrolment rates was noted. Selection was no longer performed at the junction of the elementary and secondary levels, but within the educational institution itself.

Inequalities that previously existed in terms of accessibility became an academic achievement issue over time. Certain social groups such as of working class youngsters were still disadvantaged in this new school system, whereas women, French-speakers and immigrants improved their lot relatively well. Dandurand believes that the democratization movement did not succeed in countering decisively educational inequalities related to class status despite all the measures implemented to ensure greater equality of opportunities. He adds that pressure put forth by certain middle and upper class families in order to maintain or improve their status influenced school orientations, making it harder to achieve the objective of a unified school system. This pressure resulted in the diversification of programs particularly at the secondary and post-secondary levels and the growing opposition of forces between public and private school systems.

Ideology of the 80s
During the 80s, a new liberal ideology structured on notions of individual liberty (morals), competition, market and productivity (economy) started to dominate and led to a different view of school systems. According to Dandurand, equal opportunities in education was no longer one of the primary objectives of Quebec schools. An increased selectivity and a balkanization of education followed, which resulted in the proliferation of special purpose schools, international courses, programs for gifted children, the integration of students with learning difficulties into regular classes, higher academic requirements with no specific support for weaker students, growth of the private sector, the desired split between research universities and teaching universities, enhancement of certain fields of knowledge such as administrative and applied sciences, and lastly, the proliferation of social agents organizing and distributing knowledge based on divergent interests.

Dandurand concludes by recognizing that risks of inequality are high in such a greatly stratified system and that society must remain vigilant if the democratic (egalitarian) profile of its educational institutions is to be maintained and the largest possible number of students are to reach academic achievement.

Key Words :
Democratization, Educational Equality, School Reform, Modernization, New Liberal Perspective, the Quiet Revolution, School Systems

Monitored Countries :
Quebec (Canada)