The evolution of professionalism - Centre for Policy Studies in ...

• Twelve professional competencies were judged to be essential, the
most notable being the ability to evaluate student learning progress and
competency.
• Eleven exit profi les based on the learning domain and sanctioned by a
four-year baccalaureate would now be asked of the universities.
It must be noted, however, that in February 2003, the creation of a professional
order of teachers, asked for by the Interdisciplinary Pedagogical Council of Quebec
and the Quebec Federation of Parent Committees was rejected by the Quebec’s
Offi ce of Professions.
The Denominational Character of the Education System and the Place of
Religion in the Schools
The British North America Act of 1867 confi rmed the division of school
boards by denominations, namely Catholic and Protestant. In 1964, the Ministry
of Education was created at the same time as the Conseil Supérieur de l’Éducation
(Higher Council for Education), with a Catholic committee and a Protestant
committee who guaranteed citizens’ rights in terms of denominational schools and
religious education. The two committees had signifi cant powers for curriculum
approval, the recognition of the denominational status of school establishments,
and moral and religious teaching. In 1979, Minister J-Y Morin issued The Quebec
School, which raised the possibility of public, non-denominational schools.
In June 1994, Minister Chagnon’s document Preparing Young People for the
21 st Century (Corbo Report) subscribed to the idea of non-denominational schools
that would continue to recognize a religious and ethical dimension to the human
experience. In 1996, the Commission for the Estates General on Education report
advocated the abolition of denominational school boards and schools, as well as the
complete separation of Church and State. In March 1997, Parti Quebecois Minister
Marois announced changes that included the creation of non-denominational school
boards, the maintenance of schools’ denominational status while the new linguistic
schools boards were being created, and the parents right to choose the nature of
moral and religious education given their children.
In June 1997, Bill 109 was adopted, creating French and English school
boards while reducing the total number of boards. Existing schools retained their
denominational status (Catholic or Protestant), as determined by the Conseil
Supérieur de l’Éducation. In July 1998, following a constitutional amendment to
Article 93, new linguistic school boards replaced denominational boards. In June
2000, Bill 118 was adopted, modifying various legislative provisions in education
that touched on denominational status. The main provisions of the bill stated that
• All public schools in Quebec would lose their denominationalism, becoming
secular, common, and open to all children from a particular territory. Public
schools could no longer have a special religious vocation.
• Elementary school students and those in the fi rst cycle of secondary had the
choice of Catholic or Protestant moral and religious education (one hour
per week in elementary, 25 hours a year in secondary). In the fi rst cycle
of secondary school, schools had the right to offer, when asked, a local
106 Section 3: Central Canada