Excusez-moi? Marystown early French immersion program in jeopardy

Parents in Marystown are concerned that the early French immersion program (EFI) may be pulled from Sacred Heart Academy.

According to the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District (NLESD), only 10 children have applied to be in the program for 2018, and that's not enough to justify offering an EFI class.

The board says a final decision will be made in April, and insists it is still open to offering the program if enrolment increases.

Jessica Reid, whose daughter was supposed to start French immersion next year, says despite the board's statement she has her doubts the program will be offered.

"I believe that letter may have been put out in order to get us to stop complaining," she told the St. John's Morning Show.

No French Kinderstart

Reid said parents have been told the French Kinderstart program, which prepares preschool children for French immersion, would not be taking place for students starting school next fall.

Instead all Kinderstart students will be required to do the program in English.

"It's definitely very confusing," she said. "They're going to force our children to do the English Kinderstart program starting next month, even though they're saying that the program has not been cancelled."

Reid said there was no indication to parents before now that the immersion program wouldn't be offered next year. She said school staff, MHA Mark Browne and even Education Minister Dale Kirby have all said they were unaware as well.

Parents aren't buying the board's argument that they need 50 per cent of the total enrolled students in Kindergarten to sign up for French immersion to justify the program, according to Reid.

She said national trends show that 25 or 30 per cent of total enrolment is common, and that's been the case in this province.

"Parents are not understanding what the problem is," she said. "It's not the first time. Our current Kindergarten class only has 12 which is 25 per cent of the total 45."