A record number of students enrolled in French immersion in New Westminster last year, according to an advocacy group.
The increase in French immersion enrolment in the 2018/19 school year came even as the total enrolment in the school district dropped somewhat year-over-year, according to data released by the B.C.-Yukon chapter of Canadian Parents for French.
A total of 1,011 students enrolled in French immersion in the New West School District last year, making up 13.13 per cent of the total 7,700 students according to the release.
That 13 per cent participation is an increase over the 12 per cent of New West students who had enrolled in French immersion in the 2017/18 school year.
New West isn’t alone in its increasing demand of French immersion. While overall enrolment has mostly declined in the province over the past decade-and-a-half, save for an uptick between 2015/16 and 2018/19, French immersion enrolment has steadily increased throughout B.C.
In total, just shy of 54,000 students were enrolled in French immersion in the province, about 9.5 per cent of the entire student body in B.C.
“Today we celebrate the strength and resilience of our multicultural and multilingual society. The continued growth of French immersion is a wonderful extension and reflection of our cultural heritage,” said Glyn Lewis, executive director Canadian Parents for French B.C. and Yukon.
B.C. has struggled with a teacher shortage in recent years, and one of the hardest-hit areas has been French immersion.
New West has had early French immersion since 2003. It’s offered at Herbert Spencer Elementary, École Qayqayt Elementary, and École Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary, with enrolment limited to one kindergarten entry class at each school annually. Late French immersion is offered at École Glenbrook Middle School and carries on to Grade 12.
