Tashi Farmilo
LJI Reporter

Katherine Korakakis, President of the English Parents Committee Association (EPCA), is calling
for a sweeping rethinking of Quebec’s education priorities. At the centre of her demands: more
funding for mental health and special needs services, better support for educators, and the
integration of mental health education into the provincial curriculum.

“The needs of students are going up, while resources are going down,” said Korakakis.
“Something’s got to give.” Her remarks follow news of a half-billion-dollar reduction in the
province’s education budget, a move she says fundamentally contradicts the needs of children
across Quebec. “You can’t gut services and expect outcomes to improve.”

One of Korakakis’s most prominent proposals is the creation of a structured, age-appropriate
mental health curriculum, like the way sexual education is currently integrated into the system.
“Students should learn how to identify emotions, where those emotions come from, and what
tools are available to manage them. This isn’t fluff—it’s foundational,” she said. She emphasized
that basic strategies like breathing exercises and emotional labeling should be taught early and
systematically. “Once children understand what they’re feeling and why and can work through
them, the fear starts to fall away. That’s empowering.”

Korakakis is also alarmed by the chronic shortage of qualified professionals in schools. “We
need more psychologists, social workers, special education technicians—the very people who
help students when things get hard. Instead, what we’re seeing are cuts. Fewer services, more
crises.” She points to EPCA’s latest surveys conducted with public health experts across
Quebec, which show that children with special needs are two to three times more likely to report
a low quality of life. Their parents, in turn, are twice as likely to report poor mental health. The
impact, Korakakis argues, is measurable and deeply inequitable.

She’s particularly concerned about the effects of Bill 96 and other language policies that create
additional hurdles for anglophone students, especially those with disabilities. “We’re not against
French. I’m fully bilingual. But when you require additional French coursework just to access
post-secondary education, you’re shutting out children with documented language disorders,”
she said. “That’s not just an academic barrier—it’s a life barrier.” These policies, she added,
have contributed to a narrowing of future opportunities for many students with learning
differences. “You can’t talk about equity if you don’t accommodate real needs.”

Korakakis is equally critical of how funding is allocated. “Funding must be equitable, not equal.
Equal funding ignores the realities of English school boards that are constrained by enrolment
caps due to language laws. These schools still must provide services, innovate, maintain
infrastructure—just like everyone else. If you fund them equally, you’re effectively underfunding
them.” She says a funding model based on actual need, not raw headcounts, would be far more
just and effective.​

Despite the criticism, Korakakis is not content with advocacy alone. Under her leadership, EPCA
has been actively collecting data, organizing parent workshops, distributing resources, and
building coalitions with healthcare experts and public institutions. “We’re not just raising the
alarm. We’re offering evidence, solutions, and support.” This includes an annual survey, which
this year again showed troubling trends in screen addiction, social anxiety, and bullying—all
linked to deteriorating student well-being. “We’re seeing kids burn out, shut down, and drop out,”
she said. “And families are struggling alongside them.”

In her eyes, it all comes down to priorities. “Everyone says they care about children. But where
you spend your money tells the real story. Right now, education isn’t being treated as a priority.
And that must change.”

For more information about the English Parents Committee Association (EPCA), to sign up for
workshops, access resources, or subscribe to the newsletter, visit: epcaquebec.org.

Photo: From left to right: Sara Hossaini, Katherine Korakakis (EPCA President), Doug Bentley
(EPCA Vice-President), Victoria Chavez, Justin Ford, Shannon Languay, Jessica Houde, and
Alexandra Grebenuk have all played key roles in advancing EPCA’s advocacy and parent
engagement across Quebec this year. (TF) Photo: courtesy of EPCA