School dropouts increased by 2.5% during the pandemic, a figure that has been declining for twenty years in Quebec.
This is revealed by new statistics published Monday by the Ministry of Education.
The rate of exits without a secondary school diploma or qualification* was 16.3% in 2021-2022, compared to 13.8% in 2020-2021. This is the highest rate in ten years.
The increase is even more marked among boys. School dropouts jumped 2.9%, reaching 20% in the 2021-2022 school year.
In comparison, the same rate increased by 2.1% among girls, reaching 12.7%.
School dropouts have shown a downward trend for twenty years in Quebec, going from 22% in 1999-2000 to 13% in 2016-2017. It had remained relatively stable in recent years.
This sudden increase coincides with the pandemic, which has seriously disrupted education. Canceled in 2020-2021, the ministerial exams were, for example, reintroduced with new weighting in 2021-2022.