Quebec adult education centres reeling from cuts to French-language classes

School service centres across Quebec have halted new enrolments for French-language classes due to financial uncertainty, leaving many teachers unemployed.

In Montreal, the Centre de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys (CSSMB) confirmed on Thursday that it would stop registering new students for the next session, resulting in the termination of 12 teachers' contracts.

“We currently do not know what solutions the Education Ministry (MEQ) or the Immigration Ministry (MIFI) will propose to address the funding shortfall,” the CSSMB said in a statement. “As a result, we have decided to cease new enrolments at the beginning of the next session.”

The decision follows the Legault government’s recent move to cap funding for French-language courses, as the province struggles to meet growing demand. The Education Ministry has instructed service centres to limit their funding for French-language programs to pandemic-era levels from 2020-21.

Funding Cap Tied to Rising Immigration

Speaking at the National Assembly on Thursday, Education Minister Bernard Drainville attributed the funding limits to increased immigration.

“There’s a limit to what we and the taxpayers can afford,” Drainville said. “The number of people has surged because of Justin Trudeau’s immigration policy. This is on him.”

Teachers Decry ‘Dysfunction’ in Language System

French-language teachers in Quebec City are planning a protest on Friday morning to support 30 teachers who lost their jobs at the Centre d’éducation des adultes Le Phénix.

“We believed—perhaps wrongly—that learning French was a priority for this government,” said Marie-Claude Choquette, vice-president of the teachers' union, Syndicat de l’enseignement des Deux Rives. “The government must rethink its decision.”

At the Outremont Adult Education Centre in Montreal, 40 teachers, fearing job losses, recently wrote to Immigration and French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge. The letter, co-signed by over 200 teachers across Quebec, criticized the government’s redirection of funds from adult education centres to the Immigration Ministry’s language programs. They also raised concerns that the government’s registration portal for French classes is only available in French.

“We often manage 15 different mother tongues, multiple alphabets, migration trauma, disabilities, varying education levels, and complex learning journeys,” the letter stated. “But we are experienced and qualified.”

Since January, more than 35,000 individuals have been waiting to enrol in French-language classes across Quebec, with the Immigration Ministry reporting an average wait time of nearly 81 business days for part-time courses between April 1 and August 30, 2024.

The Outremont centre serves 400 students through 24 daytime and evening classes. Teachers emphasized the importance of in-person learning, noting that students build community connections through cultural activities like visits to libraries and sugar shacks. They expressed concern about the Immigration Ministry potentially managing the entire language learning process.

Decline in Full-Time Enrolments

In Trois-Rivières, the Centre de services scolaire du Chemin-du-Roy has seen full-time enrolments drop from 265 to 87 students this year. According to Syndicat de l’enseignement des Vieilles-Forges president Stéphan Béland, three of the centre’s 12 teachers have already been laid off, and others face reduced hours as advanced French classes are being cut.

Language Classes Crucial for Integration

Afiqah Yusuf, a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University and French-language student at Outremont, highlighted how part-time language classes helped her integrate into Quebec society after moving from Malaysia 14 years ago.

In recent opinion pieces published in Le Devoir and La Presse, Yusuf advocated for sustained funding for language programs at adult education centres.

“I want others to have the same opportunity to connect with their neighbors and contribute to Quebec’s cultural and social life,” she said. Yusuf also criticized the removal of financial incentives for students in part-time programs, saying it creates barriers for newcomers.

“I hope the government’s actions will align with their stated priority of protecting the French language,” she added.