Expand genocide education in schools, group tells Quebec
"We have to give the teachers the time and the space in the curriculum to be able to teach this."
A foundation dedicated to improving knowledge about genocides is calling on the Quebec government to make the subject a mandatory part of the high school curriculum, including incorporating an exam question on the topic at the end of the year. However, the government maintains that the topic is adequately covered within three existing high school history and citizenship courses, including the mandatory Contemporary World course offered in senior year.
A recent study revealed that only 47 percent of Quebec teachers report that the subject of genocide is included in their school’s curriculum. In response, Heidi Berger, founder of the Foundation for Genocide Education, emphasized the need for greater attention to this subject in schools.
"Absolutely, 1,000 percent," Berger said when asked if genocide education should be made mandatory in high schools. "Teachers need the time and space in the curriculum to effectively teach this."
Berger, whose parents survived the Holocaust, stressed the importance of not giving up on this effort, especially given rising tensions and antisemitism. She noted that a clear majority of teachers want to teach about genocides, highlighting the need for Quebec to make it a required part of the curriculum.
Her remarks follow a Quebec Liberal Party policy resolution adopted in May, which proposed that if the party were elected, it would make teaching about genocides, including the Holocaust, mandatory in Quebec schools. Berger expressed hope that the Coalition Avenir Québec government would take note of this resolution, along with the findings of the survey conducted by the foundation in partnership with the Association for Canadian Studies.
