Quebec education officials have ordered two schools serving Montreal’s Belz Jewish community to close before the start of the upcoming school year, putting the education of nearly 600 students in immediate uncertainty.

The order affects the community’s Talmud Torah and Yeshiva Ketana and is scheduled to take effect by the end of August, according to a letter sent by the provincial Education Department to the schools’ administration.

Officials cited several concerns discovered during inspections, including alleged violations involving the school buildings as well as issues surrounding coursework that the department characterized as “unclassified” and “non-compliant.”

School administrators dispute the province’s findings and say the concerns regarding the buildings have already been addressed. They also challenge the remaining allegations and maintain that the schools should be given additional time to resolve any outstanding issues.

The schools have formally appealed the closure order and are asking Quebec authorities to allow them to continue operating while they work through the department’s concerns.

The decision comes just weeks before the new academic year, leaving hundreds of families facing uncertainty over where their children will attend school if the closure is upheld. The dispute also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Jewish religious schools in Quebec as they balance religious education with provincial regulatory requirements.