POINTE-CLAIRE – Results are already trickling in from Québec’s controversial Grade 10 history exam and failing grades have some students and parents in shock.
One of those parents is Chaher Soliman, who says he was appalled when he received his son Justin Soliman’s history exam result Tuesday morning.
“He was very upset, I checked the email and its contents that I got from the teacher, the email saying he failed the exam and there is the possibility of summer school,” said Soliman.
Québec’s education department discounted the long form essay on the exam after they found out the question had been leaked on social media.
That question should have counted for 24 per cent of the final exam mark. Some say without it kids, like Justin, are failing.
READ MORE: Stressful times: Exam leak could affect students’ final grades
Justin — who has never been to summer school — says he feels he fared well in the essay part of the test and finding out it wouldn’t count towards his final grade was devastating.
“The pressure went up and my thoughts were racing,” said Justin.
That’s why his father sent a letter to the Québec Education Ministry asking to schedule another exam. Soliman said their decision to not count the question was swift and unfair.
“I found it sort of short-sighted, unwise, because it doesn’t put everybody on an even keel,” said Soliman.
“So I’m protesting about the decision of pulling out the question.”
The school board agrees it’s unfair, but says their hands are tied. They can only follow the ministry’s directions.
“We are going to do an analysis of the exams based on the inclusion of that question or the exclusion of that question, for the ministry’s sake,” said Suanne Stein Day, chair of Lester B. Pearson School Board.
“So they can see what the effect of their decision is. I believe other school boards are doing the same.”
WATCH ABOVE: All nine English school boards across the province are going ahead with a controversial new history curriculum. Many people are upset about it, including Canadian studies’ expert, Jack Jedwab.
A spokesperson for Québec’s Education Ministry says they will wait until they have all the schools’ results to analyze them.
Although they can’t guarantee things will change, they’re hoping to make a final decision about the exam before summer school registration.
The ministry also told Global News they had received several letters from concerned parents and that they, as well as Soliman, can expect a follow-up.