“Openings and increases in course offerings” will follow broad criticism of the cancellation of French-language classes for new immigrants.
“We are going to announce openings and increases in course offerings in the coming weeks, in the coming months,” the minister said during question period in the National Assembly, after being questioned by Québec solidaire MNA Ruba Ghazal.
Announcements of francization class closures have been taking place almost everywhere in Quebec. The most recent cuts are in Lévis, near Quebec City, in the riding of the Education Minister Bernard Drainville.
People from the education sector went to the National Assembly on Wednesday to demand the reopening of French classes.
“We ask the minister of education to review his budgetary parameters, defend teachers and meet the needs of students. It is not too late, but time is starting to run out,” said the president of the Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement (FSE), Richard Bergevin.
“What we want is the return of the budgets to which we should be entitled,” said the president of the Fédération québécoise des établissements d’enseignement (FQDE), Nicolas Prévost.
All the opposition parties in Quebec have denounced the cuts in the number of French courses.
Last Friday, the Liberal party called for an investigation by the French language commissioner, Benoît Dubreuil, arguing that the government “is breaking the moral contract between Quebec and the people who come to settle there.”
Last week, Roberge blamed the school service centres for the closure of these classes, affirming that his government had increased francization budgets. Drainville said “the government’s ability to pay is not unlimited.”
Quebec is struggling to cope with the meteoric rise in demand. There are currently approximately 600,000 temporary immigrants on Quebec territory. The two CAQ ministers also blamed the federal government for having admitted too many newcomers, which means that Quebec has difficulty teaching them French.