Canadian Parents For French in New Brunswick say the province is rushing a new program to teach students in the anglophone sector a conversational level of French and is underestimating the number of bilingual teachers required to make the program work.
In late December, the province unveiled its program intended to replace French immersion – named the Immersion Program – for students entering kindergarten and Grade 1.
Students will receive 50 per cent instruction in French and 50 per cent in English. Grades 6 through 8 will spend 60 per cent of their day being taught in English, with 40 per cent instruction in French.
Chris Collins, executive director of CPFF NB, said it seems like the province has underestimated the number of teachers required for this program, setting aside the issues his organization has with the abolition of French immersion.
“The minister has said it will require the hiring of 60 teachers, but we believe it’s going to be much more than that,” Collins said in an interview.
According to Collins, there are 38 schools in southeastern New Brunswick alone. It adds up to about 500 kindergarten and Grade 1 classes and there are only 120 bilingual teachers. He said there are likely 60 needed per district, about 240 in total.
But that isn’t the only concern.
“French immersion teachers, they want to teach French immersion, they’ve studied French immersion … this is what they want to do, so they’re going to leave the province or they are going to go to the francophone system,” Collins said.
The New Brunswick Teachers Association shares similar concerns. No one was available for an interview on Tuesday, but president Connie Keating said in a statement in December that given the staffing challenges facing the education sector, it is disheartening the government has chosen to focus on such a singular issue.
“Undoubtedly, teachers who possess the language skills to teach in a more stable system may now be considering their options,” she said in the statement.
She said others may also be concerned with keeping up with the expectations this new program will place on them.
“Given the teacher shortage crisis, it is imperative that every teacher feels valued, and that timely human resource planning, professional learning and resources be provided by the employer,” she said.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development said it does believe the new program will require them to hire 60 new teachers. It said it doesn’t include teachers who already speak French but teach solely in English.
According to a statement from the department, 66 schools out of the 205 in the anglophone sector didn’t provide French immersion.
“The department will continue to develop upon the proposed New Brunswick Innovative Immersion Program through further consultations, and the input from educators, teachers’ associations, experts and families will be essential in identifying gaps but also solutions that are flexible and allow for a student-centred approach,” Danielle Elliot, a spokesperson for the department, said on Tuesday. “This includes working with districts in the coming months to better determine their individual needs.”
However, the department said human resources are the responsibility of the school districts.
It has also increased enrollment in the Bachelor of Education programs, anticipating 90 new seats this year.
The University of New Brunswick said through its international baccalaureate certificate program and some additional programs, it has tripled enrolment over the past four years.
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