Dear parents,
As we near the end of another school year, I'd like to share a message of celebration—of progress, resilience, and community. Instead, I am writing with concern.
Last week, the Quebec government announced a $510 million cut to public education. This is more than just a budget adjustment. The decision will have a direct impact on students, families, teachers, and school staff across the province. And it comes on top of the $200 million in cuts imposed earlier this fall.
The message to school boards is blunt: do more with less. If possible, try to protect student services while still making them functional. The cuts were implemented with little to no meaningful consultation, leaving school boards scrambling to make decisions that could jeopardize student support.
We are already seeing the effects.
These cuts fall hardest on:
Students who rely on speech therapists, psychologists, or special education teachers to help them learn and thrive.
Extracurricular programs and supportive environments help children stay connected and engaged.
Schools that are already overburdened, doing their best with scarce resources.
At EPCA, we've spent the year listening to parents throughout Quebec. We repeatedly hear the same message: families want more support, more transparency, and a stronger relationship with the public education system. This decision takes us in the opposite direction.
I can't pretend I'm not deeply concerned. These cuts are shortsighted. They send the incorrect message about our values, forcing us to ask difficult questions:
What kind of future will we create if we continue to undermine public education?
How can we claim that education is a priority when our actions suggest otherwise?
The timing of this announcement, just as families are preparing for summer, was not coincidental. As parents look forward to rest, camping, travel, and quality time with their children, these cuts are quietly implemented with little public oversight.
Nonetheless, we must remain alert. We must return in the fall, prepared to speak up.
- Attend your school's annual assembly.
- Inquire with your community's governing board about the impact of these cuts.
- Ensure that your child receives the necessary services.
- Support your local parent committee.
- Ask questions. Demand answers. Please share your perspective.
Because if we don't advocate for our children, who will?
Education is not a luxury; it serves as the foundation for all that we hope to achieve in the future. And we cannot build that future by dismantling the supports that our children require now.
I wish you and your family a peaceful and joyful summer. Let us return in the fall, prepared to make our voices heard.
Yours,
Katherine Korakakis
President
English Parents' Committee Association (EPCA)
