Education Minister Jean-François Roberge ignores the independent community environment!

MONTRÉAL, Feb. 24, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The five autonomous community action groups of the education sector are disappointed with the Minister of Education's indifference towards the fate of the 203 organizations they represent. The groups include the Coalition des organismes communautaires autonomes de formation, Literacy Quebec, the Regroupement des écoles de la rue accréditées du Québec, the Regroupement des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte au décrochage, and the Regroupement des groupes populaires en alphabétisation du Québec. They carry out their activities throughout Quebec and reach tens of thousands of vulnerable and excluded youth and adults every year.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, these organizations have redoubled their efforts. They have constantly adapted to ensure a continuity of services and learning for those working in autonomous community agencies, troubled youth, and adults with low literacy skills – all without additional funding from the Ministry of Education.

The five groups explained that "In September 2020, we invited Minister Jean-François Roberge to meet with us to discuss the challenges facing the informal education network. We also asked him to set up an emergency fund for organizations recognized by his ministry so that they could meet the financial challenges related to the health crisis." The groups added that "It is February and we're still waiting!" In comparison, other ministers reacted as early as August to set up such emergency funds for community organizations under their responsibility.

The recent announcement of $38 million in measures to support educational success, including a new tutoring service for underperforming students, is another example of the Minister's lack of recognition and consideration for the community education system. Indeed, this practice already exists within organizations attached to the Ministry of Education. Mélanie Marsolais of the Regroupement des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte au décrochage (ROCLD) explained that "The organizations involved wanted to support the collective effort and put their expertise to good use in helping students with difficulties. This offer was rejected out of hand."

It should be noted that the organizations officially recognized by the Ministry of Education have been in existence for decades and have profound expertise in their respective fields. They provide living and learning environments that offer, among other things, support, training and accessible information for youth, adults and the organizations they work with on a daily basis. The relevance of their action within their respective communities is undeniable and their importance has only increased in the context of the past year. Not only are they part of the educational landscape, but they are an essential component of Quebec's social safety net.

Self-governing community action organizations in the education sector are running out of steam. They cannot explain the indifference and silence of the Minister and the lack of support and recognition they receive from him. Now more than ever, and for years to come, it is necessary to better support these organizations so that they can pursue their mission and meet the needs of their community.

All the spokespersons concerned concluded that "It's high time the Minister responded to our requests and heard what we have to say! In the campaign "Tous ensemble pour aller mieux" the Minister urged us to take care of ourselves. We in turn invite him to understand the needs of the organizations and to take care of the large non-formal education network made up of the organizations we represent."

About the Coalition des organismes communautaires autonomes de formation (COCAF)  

COCAF's member organizations play an indispensable role in adult and continuing education in the autonomous community action sector (ACA) in Quebec. The training activities they offer promote personal development, social cohesion, democratic life and develop the skills of salaried employees, administrators, volunteers and activists involved in the community movement.

About the Literacy Quebec (LQ) 

Literacy Quebec  is a group of 13 community organizations working in literacy for the English-speaking population of Quebec. Together with its members, LQ works to improve the living conditions and autonomy of adults with low literacy skills and to build a stronger society. 

About the Regroupement des écoles de la rue accréditées du Québec (RERAQ)  

The mission of the organization is to regroup Street Schools into a legal entity in order to represent them before the various authorities, to defend their interests and to promote their development.  RERAQ works to ensure better recognition of street schools, their specificities, their achievements and interventions in the framework of education. RERAQ ensures political representation and acts as a privileged intermediary within public, governmental and community bodies. We represent 7 street schools that are autonomous community organizations. 

About the Regroupement des groupes populaires en alphabétisation du Québec (RGPAQ) 

RGPAQ represents 76 popular literacy organizations. It is dedicated to the promotion and development of literacy and literacy groups as well as to the collective defence of the rights of adults with low literacy skills. It shares the vision of a just, egalitarian and democratic society with the entire autonomous community action movement. It is one of the founding members of the Réseau de lutte à l'analphabétisme. 

About the groupement des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte au décrochage (ROCLD) 

Founded in 1996, the Regroupement des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte au décrochage has 59 autonomous community organizations in fourteen regions of Quebec. These organizations accompany and support more than 8,000 young people in difficulty each year. The ROCLD's mission is to promo te dialogue and exchanges between community organizations working on the issue of school dropouts, to ensure their representation as a privileged intermediary with various public and community authorities, and to support them in the consolidation and development of their activities.      

Representatives available for interviews :

Réjean Laprise for the Coalition des organismes communautaires autonomes de formation (COCAF)  

Nathalie Bergeron for the Regroupement des écoles de la rue accréditées du Québec (RERAQ)  

Mélanie Marsolais for the Regroupement des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte au décrochage (ROCLD)  

Caroline Meunier for the Regroupement des groupes populaires en alphabétisation du Québec (RGPAQ)  

Margo Legault for Literacy Quebec (LQ) 

SOURCE Coalition des organismes communautaires autonomes de formation (COCAF)

For interview requests: Ariane Richard, [email protected], 438 822-2845

Related Links

http://www.rocqld.org/