Record number of vulnerable students this back-to-school season: School of the Greats sounds the alarm

MONTRÉAL, Aug. 26, 2025 /CNW/ – As children return to school, School of the Greats, one of Québec’s leading school–mentoring programs, has noted an unprecedented increase in the need for academic support. On average, nearly one boy in five and more than one girl in ten leave high school without a diploma or vocational qualification, and more than 70 % of college–level students fail to graduate on time¹.

This situation arises in the context of unprecedented budget restrictions in education. These cutbacks directly weaken services to students and exacerbate educational inequality.

School of the Greats supports elementary–school pupils and college mentors in more than 70 % of the province’s administrative regions. Over the 2025–2026 school year, nearly 1,800 participants are expected, an increase of more than 50 % compared with last year. With the opening of new programs this fall at Cégep de Sainte–Foy in Québec City, Collège Lionel–Groulx in the Laurentians and Cégep de Jonquière, School of the Greats is expanding its presence and is now active in virtually all major urban centres — Montréal, Québec City, Gatineau and Trois–Rivières — as well as in Matane, Chicoutimi and Baie–Comeau.

“Behind each number there is a child who needs a helping hand to believe in their abilities,” says Alisha Wissanji, Executive Director of Foundation W. and founder of the School of the Greats program. “We see students losing confidence every day simply because they don’t have access to the support they need. We cannot leave this generation behind.”

A crisis context in education

Resources are becoming increasingly scarce at every level of the education system. Teacher shortages, lack of specialized services and excessively high student–teacher ratios: needs are exploding on all fronts. Several organizations that support students have had to reduce or halt their services due to a lack of resources, deepening the gap that initiatives like School of the Greats strive to fill. “When budgets fall short in the education sector, Foundation W. takes over by funding school transportation and providing breakfasts to elementary schools and CEGEPs that cannot afford these services. As the burden on institutions increases, we must take up the slack. Thanks to the support of our partners, we can maintain our services and even extend our support to new settings, to meet students’ pressing needs,” adds Alisha Wissanji.

The goal of Foundation W. is to support the educational success of young people. “The needs are immense. We are doing our part, but we need reinforcements. Together, we can change life trajectories and have a real impact in our communities,” concludes Alisha Wissanji. Anyone can help support the success of a vulnerable School of the Greats student by making a donation at fondationw.com/how-to-help-us.

Results proven by research

A recent impact study carried out by a team of education researchers confirms that School of the Greats plays a decisive role in reducing educational inequalities. The study shows that the program helps limit the decline in mathematics results among vulnerable boys, and that it increases the personal, professional and social success of college mentors.

For the first time in the context of education research in Québec, quantitative results show the positive effects of a mentoring program on the educational success of both mentors and mentees.

More details on the impact study are available here.

About the School of the Greats

School of the Greats is an extracurricular mentoring program that focuses on homework assistance and scientific education, aiming to support the educational success of vulnerable elementary school students and post-secondary students. As the flagship program of the Foundation W, the School of the Greats is committed to promoting equal opportunities and providing vulnerable populations with genuine access to academic success. The program supports both elementary school pupils and their volunteer mentors, who are college and university students. Since its inception in 2015, the School of the Greats has assisted nearly 4,000 participants in Québec and Ontario, enhancing students’ academic performance in French, mathematics, and science. Today, the program is established in 71% of the province’s administrative regions. The School of the Greats is made possible thanks to the support of the Quebec Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education, TD Bank, and numerous private donors. For more information, visit the School of the Greats website or their LinkedIn page.

SOURCE School of the Greats