Don't just blame schools for dropout rate, Quebec minister says

Article here. Excerpt:

'MONTREAL -- Quebec's Liberal government fought off criticism yesterday that it has failed to rein in the province's soaring high-school dropout rate, which is getting worse despite repeated pledges to fix the problem.

Figures show that nearly 30 per cent of Quebec students quit public secondary schools before getting their diplomas in 2007, an increase of three percentage points since 2000.

Boys are dropping out more than girls, and in some school boards in the province, the rate is reaching levels of more than 40 per cent.

The Opposition Parti Québécois says the Charest government needs to cut teacher-student ratios and invest in after-school activities, along with other measures aimed at helping keep teens in school.'