For the Hooked on School Days taking place from February 12 to 16, we want to remind people of the importance of keeping kids in school. The situation in Montréal has improved these last few years, but it is still concerning. Let’s rally together for our kids by participating in Operation Back to School.
A look at dropouts in Montréal
For the last few years in Quebec, the dropout rate has been one of the biggest challenges when it comes to education. The situation in the city is particularly concerning despite some improvement over the last few years; the school dropout rate, which was 20.8% on the island of Montréal in 2015, is now 18.1% according to Montreal Hooked on School.
A student is considered to have dropped out when he or she stops going to school before earning a high school diploma, usually before the age of 17. This is why, for 22 years, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal has been meeting with high school students through its Operation Back to School program.
This is a societal problem that each individual has to be aware of. Not only does it hinder economic development, but it is also a collective failure of our society.
The city is in an upswing and businesses will need all the talent they can get. Today’s young Quebecers are tomorrow’s leaders. Their education will ensure our society’s vitality and allow us to train a qualified labour force for Montréal’s future business sectors.
But motivating our children at school should not just be seen as an economic issue. It is a multifaceted issue that relates health as well as psychological, structural and societal aspects.
Encouraging our children and motivating them to stay in school is a way to secure our future society and promote coexistence.
Getting the community involved in student retention
During these Hooked on School Days, we need to rally together more than ever to continue to curb the dropout rate. Since the launch of the Chamber’s Operation Back to School program, more than 160,000 high school students have benefitted from professionals’ personal stories as well as their encouragement and support to help them stay in school.
These stories can be a significant source of inspiration for these students. Professionals and businesspeople participating in this program come from different areas and sectors of activity, which is an asset.
We need to continue our efforts! How? You can register your high school so that your students can benefit from these experiences and stories. You can also participate by giving talks about your career and your educational background.