Fearing an irrevocable anglicization of francophone and allophone students, several teachers in the college network are campaigning — through the unusual means of union resolutions — for the application of Bill 101 to the cegep. This would have the effect of prohibiting all students, except a small proportion of “rights holders”, from enrolling in an English CEGEP. As a teacher in a French-speaking CEGEP in Montreal, I recognize the value of French and the vocation of CEGEPs in Quebec society. However, it is important for me to raise questions about this proposal.
First of all, the idea that this measure would be essential to counter a decline of French against English is ill-founded. According to a Statistics Canada report published on August 17, 2022, the number of people who speak French predominantly at home in Quebec in 2021 is up in absolute terms compared to 2016 (from 6.4 to 6.5 million) and experienced only a slight relative decline of 1.5%. Does such a minor change justify such a drastic measure as the application of Bill 101 to the entire college network? At the very least, there is no rush; let’s take the time to think about it.
Of course, there is reason to worry about the decline in the quality of French learning in the education system, as evidenced by the latest dismal results of pupils in 5e secondary to the ministerial written French test. However, this literacy problem takes shape well before college, and stems from causes already identified, such as the shortage of elementary school teachers. Shouldn’t a society that wants to prioritize the teaching of French invest more in schools already governed by law 101? There is no point in scapegoating English CEGEPs for a widespread problem that takes root years before students walk through their doors.
Respect and listen
Furthermore, it seems to me that we should make more efforts to listen seriously to Quebec students who would be affected by such a measure, instead of immediately delegitimizing their motivations to pursue higher education in English, on the pretext that they would be in the grip of a capitalist “false conscience” or zombies of American culture. This condescension should give way to respect and listening, especially since the next generation of Quebecers will inevitably be grappling with problems of international scope, from climate change to the decline of democracy. Young people today know very well that mastering English at a high level is essential for these problems: what influence would Greta Thunberg have had if she only spoke Swedish, or Malala Yousafzai, Pashto? They also have the perception that, in the current context, enrolling in an English-speaking CEGEP remains the best, if not the only, way to achieve this objective.
For my part, I discussed it with my brilliant students at the Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne, and many tell me this: French is important to them, they want to flourish in Quebec, but the application of Bill 101 in college would be seen as a restrictive measure that would aim to block them in their choice of education and career. Do we really want to ignore this perception and thus run the risk of engendering resentment in the next generation?
However, many of my students have suggested another avenue that seems much more promising to me. Couldn’t we try to create, as an option, a few program courses in English in French-speaking CEGEPs? Students themselves maintain that such a reform could considerably reduce competition with English-speaking CEGEPs by offering them an excellent education in the French-language college network without sacrificing the acquisition of a good knowledge of English in their field. .
In any case, let’s not succumb to alarmism — our duty as specialists in higher education is to reflect with an open mind on how to equip our students to be able to exercise full intellectual participation. , culture and citizenship to Quebec society in the 21ste century.