Simon Boucher was therefore only able to complete one college session, as stipulated by the regulations for people without DES. He is also forced to give up his position as a goaltender on the college hockey team.
I was in the perfect position. I was in one of the best Cegeps, at a level just a tad lower than the LHJMQ. But there, because of an exam, I have to end everything with a snap of my fingers and I don’t know what will become of my dreams and my life plans, the young man of 17 complains.
He was part of the Chevaliers de Lévis Midget AAA. We recorded him in the fall. He had a very, very good season, so it’s a big loss for us as hockey players, but also as individuals. He worked hard for his results, says Cégep Champlain-St-Lawrence’s adviser on the sporting component, Jérémie Ouellet.
Simon Boucher had a good season as a rookie goaltender for the St-Lawrence Lions.
Photo: Source: St. Lawrence Lions Facebook page
No failures
Simon Boucher assures that he never failed a single high school course and that he passed all of his CEGEP courses as well. At the end of his fifth secondary school last June, he was sure to get his DES.
I spoke to my teachers, the year was over, they told me that I was not in danger of going under, that I would do my DES. I even had prom and graduation. “Three months later, I received an email saying I couldn’t write my secondary school and that I had to retake the exam in a week,” he says.
The ministerial exam consists of three parts: oral, written and reading. Simon repeated the entire exam in August, then again just before the holidays, both times without success.
To prepare for the exam, he enrolled in adult education. He went there two hours a day and learned to read, speak French and write. He also took an enrichment course.
I had already passed reading and oral. I thought it was a waste of time not to concentrate on writing, emphasizes Simon Boucher.
François Boucher and his son Simon Boucher.
Photo: Radio Canada / Steve Breton
Late results
His father finds it difficult to understand the delays between the test and receiving the result.
We got the last result this week, a month later than the adult registration. You also cannot transfer him to another ice hockey team. Had he achieved the expected result last summer, he would have been paid for private lessons all summer to make sure he passed, François Boucher complains.
However, the Ministry of Education assures that the corrections to the tests were made quickly.
For the exams in June 2022, the results were made available on the morning of July 11, i.e. 5 days after the results for the other subjects. The department has mobilized all necessary resources to release the results as quickly as possible without impeding the student’s progress, spokesman Bryan St-Louis said in writing.
The Student Life Coach, Sports Component, by Cégep St-Lawrence, Jérémie Ouellet.
Photo: Radio Canada / Pierre-Alexandre Bolduc
towards stand
Simon Boucher and his father denounce the rigidity of the system, which they say could lead to more school dropouts.
What I don’t understand is that a student who has never taken a course, who has completed a first semester at CEGEP by taking his three courses, I don’t understand why it should be a problem at CEGEP. I’m not a bad student, says Simon Boucher.
Our fear is school endurance. Will he pick up? If he is in front of nothing, he will try to play hockey. We fear that school will come second, adds Jérémie Ouellet.
The young man hopes to be able to repeat the only French test at the same time as the 5th secondary school students.
With information from Pierre-Alexandre Bolduc.