'Nothing to gain' from inflating grades, Quebec education minister says

Quebec Education Minister Sébastien Proulx says he wants to put an end to grade inflation.

Proulx issued a directive to the province's school boards to make sure failing grades aren't bumped up to meet ministerial standards. 

"We want the assessments to provide a real picture of a student," he said Tuesday.

"Quebec has nothing to gain by having an increased graduation rate. School boards have nothing to gain and schools have nothing to gain."

A survey released last month by a teacher's union — the Fédération autonome de l'enseignement — suggested both elementary and high school teachers have had the grades they give their students changed without their permission.

Just politics?

At the time, the union's president, Sylvain Mallette, said having grades altered by school or ministerial officials has been a long-running complaint of Quebec teachers, adding that the province puts too much emphasis on results and statistics.

Jennifer Maccarone, chair of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, told Daybreak that the new directive amounts to "politics," and that it's merely a reminder about a law that's already in place. 

In her view, grade inflation isn't a major problem.

She added that teachers have some discretion under Quebec's Education Act when it comes to evaluating students. 

"If the student gets poor marks but has improved and now reaches the level of competency, then maybe they should pass," she said.