Special Article for CMPAC by Samaa Elibyari
The recent statement by Joël Arseneau, Quebec’s Minister of Education, concerning a ban on the wearing of religious symbols in public primary schools, has caused a stir within the Muslim community and dashed any hope that our government might focus on the major challenges of the day.
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) had made identity politics its primary focus during its time in the National Assembly. One might have assumed that the humiliating results of its defeat would signal that Quebecers have other priorities. The prominent champions of secularism have been swept away—forgotten, relics of the past. Not a single CAQ member was re-elected.
Yet, the Parti Quebécois, now leading the new government, has fallen into the same trap. This is not the time for populist debates; rather, it is a time for a clear-eyed perspective and confident leadership to address the major challenges facing Quebec—especially in the field of education.
While other religious communities may be affected, let us be honest: it is the Islamic headscarf—the hijab—that is primarily being targeted by this type of discourse.
A reality must be acknowledged here. Who has actually seen a primary school student wearing a veil? Let me explain: students in the final year of primary school are generally eleven years old. At this age, wearing a headscarf is not mandatory. It—along with other Islamic practices, such as fasting—only becomes obligatory at puberty. According to statistics in Canada and Quebec, for the vast majority (over 75%), this stage is reached at around the age of 12.
One might ask why our community should be concerned about a piece of legislation that will likely affect only a tiny number of young Muslim girls who wear veils.
The issue is one of principle, of rights, and of social consequences for our entire community. While we may wait for the Supreme Court of Canada to rule on the legality of Law 21, the practical message conveyed by such laws is that we are “different”—clinging to an outdated culture, resistant to integration, and therefore undeserving of the same rights as other Quebecers. This colonial perception inevitably leads to abuses and various forms of discrimination.
A democratic society is not weakened by diversity; rather, it is enriched by the confidence that it can accommodate everyone. This is the wellspring of innovation and ingenuity. In this day and age, a state’s influence is measured by its independence of thought and its capacity for innovation—not by its adherence to the status quo. Indeed, geographical boundaries are easily transcended by the “eyes and ears” of mobile phones, surveillance cameras, drones, and, no doubt, other robotic espionage tools yet unknown to us.
Both our personal privacy and our national security are at stake. More than costly weaponry, it is the supremacy of knowledge that will serve as our primary safeguard. Yet, this necessarily requires an advanced, robust, and stable education system. Where do we stand at the intersection of these circumstances?
In Quebec, the challenges within the education sector are serious. The shortage of teaching staff remains a critical issue for the public school system, with more than 3,000 teaching positions—estimated at 3.5% of the total—expected to be vacant across the province by 2026. Although there has been a slight improvement compared to the 4% recorded the previous year and 6% two years earlier, urgent measures are required. [1]
Furthermore, the qualifications of many teachers do not meet the required—or even the desired—standards. This has forced school service centers (SSCs) to rely on supplementary training programs and provisional teaching authorizations. [1, 2]
Working conditions in our schools leave much to be desired; the attrition rate among young teachers remains high, with approximately 25% leaving during their initial induction period, and nearly 50% of new graduates abandoning the profession within their first five years.
Added to this is a shortage of educational support staff, such as psychologists and speech-language pathologists.
These concerning conditions are no secret. The problem is not new; it has worsened over the years (see *Érudit*). This is occurring at a historic moment, as we undergo a technological revolution that is already transforming our daily lives.
In Europe, the Erasmus+ program serves as the European Union’s flagship funding initiative for education, training, youth, and sport. All EU member states participate, alongside associated non-EU countries such as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey. For the current cycle (2021–2027), the program has an estimated budget of 26.2 billion euros—nearly double the funding allocated to the previous program (2014–2020)—with a strong emphasis on promoting youth participation in democratic life, digital transformation, and eco-friendly/sustainable practices. Furthermore, Erasmus+ aims to develop the European dimension of sport, another significant aspect to consider.
As Canada and Quebec look toward Europe to forge closer economic ties, it would also be worthwhile to draw inspiration from innovative educational programs.
Beyond the challenges related to teaching itself, the Ministry of Education must also contend with the need to fund infrastructure that is in a deplorable state.
Approximately 53% of the buildings in Quebec’s public school system are considered to be in poor or very poor condition—a figure that rises to 61% for secondary schools [1, 2], according to data from the Annual Infrastructure Management Plan (PAGI) [1]. In terms of a facility condition index, only about 47% of educational institutions receive a satisfactory rating. Nearly a third (35%) are graded “D” (poor), and 18% are graded “E” (very poor) [1].
The backlog of work required to bring all these buildings up to a satisfactory standard is estimated at nearly $9.78 billion—or potentially even more, according to certain estimates from unions and those working in the field [1].
All this data is readily available, and the consequences are serious. It would be far more constructive to focus on what is happening in the minds of our elementary school students, rather than on what they are wearing.
Samaa Elibyari lives in Montreal. Comments are welcome at [email protected]
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official positions or views of CMPAC.
