New Brunswick decides against proposed French education plan
The New Brunswick government has done an about-face when it comes to French language instruction in the province.
In a news release Friday, Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Bill Hogan said the province will not proceed with a proposed 50/50 framework where students would spend half of their day taking instruction in English and the remainder of their day in French.
"I really thought the framework we announced was a great idea,” Hogan told reporters. “I still think that in certain cases it could work really well, however, what we found out was that it's not in the best interest of all our children."
The minister says that in light of the change, French immersion registration will be reopened for Grade 1 students.
Public consultations on the government’s proposal held over the past several weeks were both combative and divisive, with many of those participating objecting to the 50/50 proposal.
A summary of results from the consolations will be released in “the early spring.”
The province says a stakeholder group will be established to determine what happens next.
The group will consist of the New Brunswick Teacher’s Association, experts within the education system and parents.
“This is not the end, but the beginning of what will be positive and lasting change,” said Hogan in a Friday news release.
Parents across New Brunswick who came out in the thousands during the consultations are pleased to see the results.
"This is a wonderful step. I am relieved that the voices of the people were heard by the premier and by Minister Hogan,” said parent Christina Robichaud. “We could not be happier.”
While pleased with the decision, the opposition is concerned about what's next.
"Obviously there are still challenges in our school system and that was very clear from the consultation,” said Megan Mitton, Green Party MLA for Memramcook-Tantramar.
“We heard from teachers, we heard from experts, we heard from parents, so now's the time to make investments in our schools, make improvements that we heard about in the consultations."
The group Canadian Parents for French says it now plans to focus on initiatives supporting French immersion instead of advocating for it.
"With regard to offering tutoring services and any other programs that we're able to bring from experience and the rest of Canada into New Brunswick to help out and bridge that gap,” said Chris Collins, executive director of Canadian Parents for French New Brunswick.
With files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran's president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash at moment of high tensions in Mideast
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country's foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East.
Woman in her 30s in critical condition after her truck collided with a Via Rail train near Montreal
A woman in her 30s is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Five weeks stand between MPs and the BBQ circuit, here's what the Liberals want to pass first
When MPs file back in to the House of Commons on Tuesday, it will be for the final five-week parliamentary push before hitting the barbecue circuit. Looking ahead to what could be a raucous rush to the summer hiatus, CTVNews.ca spoke with top House representatives to get a sense of what's atop their priority list.
ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Netanyahu
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Monday he is seeking arrest warrants for leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over actions taken during their seven-month war.
The world's best airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months' salary
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Britain slammed in inquiry for infecting thousands with tainted blood and covering up the scandal
British authorities and the country's public health service knowingly exposed tens of thousands of patients to deadly infections through contaminated blood and blood products, and hid the truth about the disaster for decades, an inquiry into the U.K.'s infected blood scandal found Monday.
What we know so far about the helicopter crash that killed Iran's president
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with US$100 million in financing commitments
U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.