The Decentralization and Regionalization of Education The Advisory Board on English Education (ABEE) is concerned about the impact on the anglophone community
Montréal, November 14, 2006. — The Advisory Board on English Education (ABEE) recently submitted to the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Jean-Marc Fournier, a brief entitled Decentralization, Regionalization and Adaptation (DRA): Jamais deux sans trois.
This brief followed the Minister’s presentation of the DRA model to the Table Québec-régions on February 9, 2006. The members of the Advisory Board paid special attention to the potential impact that this model could have on English-language educational institutions.
In its brief, the Board stated that “English-speaking Quebeckers want to play a role in their regions; that is why they continue to live there.” They understand that the principles of DRA are important and already exist to a considerable extent in our educational system. According to the Board, the very existence of school boards constitutes a form of DRA. However, the model of decentralization presented last February raises some important questions for the anglophone community.
In order for English-language educational institutions to play an active role as regional partners, the Advisory Board recommends that special attention be paid to the fact that most English-language school boards operate across many administrative regions. Therefore, all English-language educational institutions should be invited to contribute to the work of the Tables-inter-ordres (TIO) in all the regions in which they operate. As well, the Advisory Board recommends that English-language school boards receive additional resources to allow them to maintain an active presence at many tables.
Since the English-language colleges and universities are concentrated in certain regions yet serve the English-speaking population throughout the province, the Advisory Board recommends that a mechanism be established allowing these institutions to monitor and participate in, when appropriate, the activities of the Tables-inter-ordres.
The Advisory Board also recommends that the DRA model be adapted to meet the particular needs of the English-speaking educational institutions which have developed, over the years, a variety of organizations, programs and activities that extend far beyond their regions. English-language institutions should be able to decide which of these activities could be appropriately based in a Table-inter-ordre in a single region.
Finally, the Advisory Board considers it important that, in the context of decentralization, existing levels of service offered in English be preserved. The Board therefore recommends that when new functions and powers concerning education and related services are transferred to regional bodies such as the TIO and the Conférences régionales des élus (CRE), the level of service in these areas for the English-speaking community be guaranteed.
This report is available on the Advisory Board’s Web site
in English and in French.
For information:
Gretta Chambers, Chair
Advisory Board on English Education
514-873-5656
