While school is back in session this week, students enrolled in French Immersion (FI) are on the decline.
Data released by Canadian Parents for French’s B.C. & Yukon chapter (CPF) shows enrollment in FI is trending down in the province, and slightly down in School District 48 (SD48).
Students enrolled in the Sea to Sky district at Pemberton, Whistler and Squamish’s FI programs over a five-year span has decreased 5.61 per cent, with 61 fewer students from 2018 to 2024, while overall enrollment in that time increased by 3.84 per cent.
Provincially, between 2019-2020 and 2023-2024 school years, enrollment in FI dipped by 1,902 students. At the same time, 28,000 more students have entered B.C.’s public school system.
Executive director for the B.C. and Yukon chapter of CPF, Jason Howe he said he’d like to see enrollment grow as more students come into the public school system.
“There's a lot more students generally in the schools than there were four years ago. And so, in my opinion, when you have more students in the schools, there should be more students in the French immersion programs, but that's not happening,” he said.
While causes likely vary by district, he attributed the decline, at least in part, to two persistent issues.
“There's a shortage of French language teachers in British Columbia, there's a shortage across the country, and really worldwide,” he said.
“It causes some school districts to be unable to deliver French immersion to the extent that they would otherwise do so because there just aren't enough teachers.”
The second cause Howe pointed towards is available space.
“Whether it means the need for new schools to be built, or new space created in the schools, there isn't enough space to accommodate everyone who would want to be in French immersion.”
Demand is still high, as evidenced by waitlists in the province for the program.
A common comment Howe hears when people ask about declining numbers is whether already speaking a second language at home, which could contribute to a lack of interest from students. Instead, he said it often leads to more passion for becoming a polyglot.
“They understand the importance of the value that it brings, and so they tend to be a bit more interested in learning languages.”
Secondly, Canadian Parents for French host an annual speaking competition called Concours d'art oratoire. The contest comes with incredibly diverse speakers, adding to Howe’s disagreeing with the argument.
SD48’s assistant superintendent, Paul Lorette, agreed that recruitment for teachers, be they French or otherwise, is a challenge. However, he highlighted how attractive the Sea to Sky is due to the recreation opportunities and proximity to Vancouver and said he didn’t think recruitment impacted local enrollment.
He pointed to general enrollment recently trending down in the Sea to Sky and noted classroom space isn’t an issue in SD48.
SD48 advertises its FI programs in Pique, and they hold public meetings in Pemberton, Whistler and Squamish for parents.
To counter lower enrollment, Howe said he’d like to see districts promote the programs more to families and inform them of the many benefits of learning French.
