Coronavirus: Graduating Quebec students to be given chance to say one last goodbye

Graduating elementary and high school students in Quebec will get a chance to say one last goodbye to their friends and teachers, despite the COVID-19 pandemic forcing an abrupt end to the school year for most in March.

The province’s education ministry is allowing students completing their sixth year of elementary school or their fifth year of high school the chance to participate in a “special reunion activity” to be put on by their school.

In a statement, Education Minister Jean-François Roberge said what that activity looks like will ultimately be up to each individual school, but it could be anything from an official photo session to an outdoor picnic, so long as it complies with public health guidelines to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

“COVID-19 has certainly changed our habits and traditions, but that is not a reason not to salute graduating students as they deserve,” the minister said.

Roberge said schools will be expected to communicate to their students the exact “modalities” of the goodbye events they plan to put on over the weeks ahead.

The move is the result of an online petition signed by thousands of students across Quebec in recent weeks, which also received the support of Quebec’s opposition parties.