French school enrolment up 6% on P.E.I.

Enrolment continues to rise in French language schools on P.E.I.

French Language School Board officials say enrolment has increased to 1,043 students as of the end of September, the highest number since the board was established in 1990.

Enrolment has grown six per cent compared to last year and 26 per cent since 2014. In September, school board officials had estimated about a 10 per cent increase over last year.

Gilles Benoit, chair of the board, said promotional efforts are paying off and rights-holding parents, as well as immigrant parents, are increasingly aware of the presence of the six French-language schools.

"For sure we are happy for that because there's a lot more right-holder parents that understand that they can have an education for their child in French and also they can live in their French culture."

Benoitsaid he hopes the French Language School Board will reach its goal of 1,500 students by 2026-27.

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