Quebec High School Students Will Have 5 Extra Hours Of School Each Week & Here's Why

Starting in September, all high school students in Quebec will have five extra hours of school time each week for extracurricular activities.

Minister of Education Isabelle Charest made the announcement in a June 18 press conference. She said schools in Quebec will decide what to offer during the daily extracurricular school hour, as well as when to offer it during the day.

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"It can be done at lunchtime, it can be done in the evening as well, it's up to the schools," Charest said.

She went on the say it would "give young people a sense of belonging to their school", and "allow them to face new challenges, [and] new interests."

Premier François Legault said the hour-long addition has been slowly implemented in Quebec schools over the past couple of years as part of a 2018 election promise.

But Charest said that, as of the 2021-2022 school year, all schools will offer students the extra hour per day for extracurricular activities.

The extra hour can be used for sports, science, arts, cultural education or any other extracurricular activity, she said.