French immersion not available for some, says parents' group

Many students in rural P.E.I. do not have access to French immersion, says Canadian Parents for French, and a strategy needs to be developed to fix that, added the group.

The organization recently outlined the need during a presentation to the board of the Eastern School District. Claude Parent, who is P.E.I. president for CPF, told CBC News Friday that school officials have to look at new ways to ensure students who want to study in French have that chance.

Parent said that might include busing children into other areas or combining a couple of French immersion grade levels into one class.

"If the students want to be instructed in French we should try as much as possible to look after that," he said.

"Who says that if you don't have 28 students for one grade level, why not combine two grades? It's not perfect but it is an option."

Parent said the province also needs to address the shortage of French teachers.

He's recommending the government look at offering full-time jobs to students enrolled in the French immersion education program at UPEI. He says that may prompt more of the graduates to stay on the Island after they finish their education.