When general education for youth is no longer suitable

For various reasons the general high school education program doesn’t respond to the needs of certain people who want to take a different path and change the mode of learning offered to them.

This is sometimes the case with youth experiencing great difficulties in “regular” general education or even adults who simply want to complete their education or the necessary prerequisites for a career plan.

Be careful…

General adult education can be a good alternative; however, this type of education is not for everyone and it is important to be well informed before proceeding with registration.

To qualify for general adult education, the person must have obtained the age of 16 on June 30 of the year before they begin studies, and registration is done directly at the adult education centre.

In adult education, the learning is flexible but also individualized: this means that each person in the class finds is at a different level and the teacher deal with them on a one-to-one basis.

Registrations can be made anytime during the year and the end of studies varies according to the learning pace of the individual student. It is also worth noting that there can be groups at the same level, and thus regular classes. This depends on the training centre.

This type of learning requires a lot of independence and will on the part of the adult, and is not necessarily “easier,” contrary to the idea that many young people have.

Moreover, schedules can be set in the day or evening according to the person’s preference. There is a possibility of flexibility in the schedule due to a job or medical constraints.

AE is for

  • completing secondary studies
  • preparing for vocational training or college education
  • learning basic reading, writing and mathematics
  • for allophones to learn French
  • to enter the job market
  • to obtain an attestation of equivalence (AENS)
  • to take a General Development Test (GDT)
  • to obtain an attestation of prerequisites (CCQ)

To adapt well to this mode of learning, it’s recommended to have certain skills and qualities, such as:

  • autonomy
  • a sense of responsibility
  • a sense of organization
  • discipline
  • maturity

Inspired from a text by Sonia Bourget, SARCA counsellor – CSDN