School boards see hike in number of students needing English language instruction
Three-fold increase in enrolment for English language classes reported at Louis Riel School Division
School boards in Winnipeg say they have to stretch resources to accommodate the large number of newcomers who require English language instruction.
In south-east Winnipeg, the Louis Riel School Division says the number of English-as-an-additional-language (EAL) students has risen from about 400 in 2013 to 1,200 this year.
"That's significant growth. We weren't originally prepared for that," said Chris Sigurdson, a trustee with the division.
The board could not immediately say how many of the EAL students are refugees but that many are. Along with English classes, they require additional supports to settle into their new schools.
"Catching them up with English is one thing," Sigurdson said. "Catching them up on their education altogether can be very challenging. The kids come from refugee camps and they haven't been to school ...There's gaps there and you also have a lot of people who have been through some significant trauma."
Winnipeg School Division which educates the largest number of refugees in the city said the number of refugees enrolled at its schools this year is 184, already surpassing last year's total of 170 refugees enrolled in division schools.
The majority of the refugees are Syrians.
Board chair Sherri Rollins said the increase in newcomers is welcome but also poses challenges.
"Winnipeg School Division have a really proud history of welcoming refugees and settling them," Rollins said. "We try to bend and adapt….But sometimes the resources just are not there."
The school board went from spending $2.9 million on EAL in 2013 to $3.5 million last year, she said.
"That's pretty significant," she said. "It's indicative of need."
Rollins said WSD has volunteered to advocate alongside the province for more federal funding directed at children and adults who need to learn English.
On Thursday morning, Premier Brian Pallister, Education Minister Ian Wishart and Rita Chahal, executive director, Welcome Place are scheduled to announce new supports for refugees.
The federal immigration and citizenship department told CBC it would be also providing more information tomorrow about its role in supporting EAL students.
With files from CBC’s Nelly Gonzalez