Married with two children, Jean-François Roberge has long been involved in the world of education. After 17 years as an elementary school teacher, he made the leap into politics during the 2014 elections, running under the Coalition avenir Québec banner. When elected to the National Assembly of Quebec in the riding of Chambly, he became the critic for education, a responsibility he kept until 2018, the year he took office as Minister of Education and Higher Education. He served as Minister of Education for the entirety of his government’s first term. In October 2022, Premier François Legault appointed him Minister of the French Language, Minister Responsible for Canadian Relations and the Canadian Francophonie, Minister Responsible for Democratic Institutions, Minister Responsible for Access to Information and the Protection of Personal Information and Minister Responsible for Laicity.

Committed, idealistic and pragmatic, Mr. Roberge has always been socially involved in one way or another, whether in politics or education. He has been involved in the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec, the Commission de l’éducation préscolaire et de l’enseignement primaire du Conseil supérieur de l’éducation, the Association de défense des jeunes enseignants du Québec and Force Jeunesse.

Mr. Roberge has published two novels for youth, Francis perdu dans les méandres and Francis l’intrépide, both published by Éditions Pierre Tisseyre. In 2016, he also published an essay titled Et si on réinventait l’école?, in which he detailed his ideas for improving the Quebec education system.