Australian Experts Warn Against Quebec’s Education Model

Australian education researchers have issued a strong critique of Quebec’s education system, urging a closer look at Ontario’s model as a more effective alternative. This assessment comes from a report titled Lessons from Canada: An Equitable Education System Is Possible, authored by Tom Greenwell and Chris Bonnor, who recently spent ten days in Canada in October 2024 to investigate various educational frameworks.

The authors characterized Quebec’s system as “almost as dysfunctional” as Australia’s, highlighting its “three-tier” structure that includes regular public, selective public, and private schools. Greenwell stated in a telephone interview from Canberra that Quebec’s model reflects many of the issues facing Australia’s education sector, particularly the tracking and segregation of students based on their academic performance and socio-economic backgrounds. He remarked, “We were struck by Quebec because all our problems were reflected back at us.”

The report notes that concentrating students from disadvantaged backgrounds in regular classes may lead to negative educational outcomes. Greenwell emphasized that the Quebec education system “lets a large number of young people down,” a sentiment echoed on page 78 of their report. He described segregation as harmful to both teachers and students, inhibiting their performance in less diverse classroom environments.

Positive Note from L’École ensemble

Amidst the critique, the report highlights a promising initiative from the citizen movement L’École ensemble. Greenwell praised their “detailed and sophisticated” proposal aimed at reforming the Quebec education landscape. In February 2025, Québec solidaire presented this plan to the National Assembly as Bill 895, which seeks to unify public and private schools into a single, accessible network for all students, regardless of their academic results or family income.

The proposed legislation encourages collaboration between public and private institutions that agree to eliminate selection based on grades. Schools that refuse to participate would risk losing public funding. The bill also aims to make special programs available to all students while prohibiting any selection processes. L’École ensemble estimates that implementing this common network could yield annual savings of $100 million in the long term.

Stéphane Vigneault, coordinator of L’École ensemble, expressed pride in receiving support from the Australian researchers. He hopes the report will gain traction and stimulate change during an election year. “We have a solution that is pragmatic and innovative,” he noted in an interview. “Our goal is to see it included in political platforms.”

Disagreement from the Federation of Private Educational Institutions

In response to the report, the Fédération des établissements d’enseignement privés (FEEP) expressed disappointment at not being consulted by the Australian delegation. President David Bowles challenged the findings, asserting that Quebec’s system is robust because it allows parental choice in school selection. He pointed out that Quebec students consistently perform well on international assessments, noting that the province has the smallest gap between the highest- and lowest-performing students.

Bowles further mentioned that private schools in Quebec have increased their acceptance of students with learning difficulties from 5 percent to 20 percent in recent years. His comments reflect a belief that the current system provides valuable options for families and contributes positively to student outcomes.

This report, originally published in French by The Canadian Press on August 23, 2025, highlights significant discussions regarding the future of education in Quebec, emphasizing the importance of equitable access to quality education for all students.