Education Minister scolds students who are working

Students who found jobs that have them working up to 30 hours a week during the COVID -19 outbreak are making “a mistake,” Quebec Education Minister Jean-françois Roberge said on Wednesday.

Roberge scolded the students and their parents during question period in the National Assembly.

Weighing his words, the minister said the school year had not yet ended — for students or their teachers.

Roberge made his comments after being taken to task by Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy for having said at the start of the outbreak that students were on “vacation.”

Such a statement completely undermined any motivation felt by high school students, Rizqy suggested, saying she was concerned what affect the outbreak would have on the dropout rate.

She said students could be found working in grocery stores, dépanneurs and big box stores, but not in front of their books.

Roberge said such conduct was an error.

“Students who are working 10, 15, 20, 30 hours a week are making a mistake. I am asking everyone to remember that. I’m asking parents as well to say: ‘Excuse me, young man, young woman, but school isn’t over.’ Teenagers ... get plugged in, study, do your assignments or you’ll get a failing grade.”

The minister called on “employers, parents, uncles, aunts” to relay the message that school should remain a priority.

Québec solidaire MNA Christine Labrie called Roberge’s comments “repulsive.” She said a number of teens have volunteered to work on the front lines and Families Minister Mathieu Lacombe even called on students last week to babysit children who don’t have a spot in daycare.