WHEREAS the percentage of students on PEI in the French Immersion program is 24%, compared to the national average of 10%1, and
WHEREAS PEI’s population is projected to increase from 147,590 in 2016 to 161,792 by 20552, primarily due to net international migration, and
WHEREAS the average percentage increase of students entering the French Immersion program on PEI over the last four years has been roughly 2% per year1, and
WHEREAS French Immersion offers unique enrichment opportunities that are seriously lacking on PEI, and
WHEREAS there is a tangible benefit of speaking at least one other language as regards global competencies, and
WHEREAS it is challenging to attract and retain high-quality French Immersion teachers to PEI and to maintain a sufficient pool of qualified French Immersion substitute teachers;
BE IT RESOLVED that the PEI Home and School Federation request that the Minister of Education, Early Learning and Culture acknowledge the importance of French Immersion on PEI and develop a strategy to address the increased growth and demand for French Immersion on PEI, specifically:
- Sufficient resources be allocated to support and augment the current recruitment program aimed at attracting and retaining high-quality French Immersion teachers to PEI;
- Ensuring that there is a sufficient pool of qualified French Immersion substitute teachers PEI;
- Existing French learning materials, including additional resources in school libraries and in the classroom, are augmented;
- Adequate training is provided for French Immersion teachers to maintain French proficiency.
BACKGROUND:
- Canadian Parents for French (http://cpf.ca/en/files/2014-Enrolment-Stats.pdf)
- PEI Statistics Bureau (http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/pt_pop_proj.pdf)