The ‘hypotheses’ on why some Quebec students eligible for English schools opt for French

Students at Gardenview Elementary School spend the majority of their day learning in French.

The amount of time varies depending on the grade, but from a very young age, teachers say, students are picking up the language and catching on quickly.

“With visual aids, with a lot of songs and with repetitive words — all of those help my students learn French,” said Sophie Predan-Chauvin, a teacher at Gardenview. “And very early on, you can tell as a kindergarten teacher, that by the time the holidays come, my students are really picking up on the language.”

New data from Statistics Canada shows that nearly a quarter of Quebec students who are allowed to attend an English-language school, opt for French education instead.

Attendance varies from one region to another. In Montreal, about 81 per cent of those eligible choose an English school but in places like the Laurentians and Lanaudière region, it’s a different story.

The study’s author suspects that the distance to the school and the language spoken at home could be a few of the factors at play.

“These are hypotheses,” said Étienne Lemyre, senior analyst at Statistics Canada. “We’ll have to dig deeper about the situation in Quebec precisely.”

The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) wants parents to know that the quality of French instruction in English-language schools is just as good as in French schools.

“They should look at our French immersion schools and our high schools that have more advanced French programs because those students write the same high school exit exams as the students in the French sector, and our students are actually scoring higher than in the French sectors,” said Joe Ortona, chair of the EMSB.

It’s also important for the existence of these English institutions, that English rights holders make use of their eligibility and chose a path of education in English.

“It’s important that we dispel this myth that if you go to an English school, you’re forfeiting your French education because nothing can be further from the truth,” said Katherine Korakakis, English Parents’ Committee Association president.

“Our English schools do a wonderful job at producing bilingual children. And for me and my family, it’s very important to speak in both languages and we can do that, while protecting our institutions.”