English CEGEPs starting to feel the weight of French-language law reform in Quebec

As 145,000 students trickle back into Quebec CEGEPs, John Halpin, director general of John Abbott College in Montreal's West Island, says "our employees are exhausted."

That's because this year is like none other due to the significant changes brought on by the province's new Law 14, stemming from Bill 96, which was passed by the Legault government in May 2022 to protect the French language.

The more significant changes won't come until 2024, but preparations are already underway to begin capping enrolment numbers, prioritizing English-eligible students and offering classes in French.

Already, school administrations are searching for ways to prepare certain students — those who don't have English eligibility — to not only pass those classes in French but also pass a newly mandated French-language exam.

Vanier College spokesperson Isabelle Moncion said the law essentially requires that English-language CEGEPs split students into two categories: Those with English eligibility and those without it.

"Previously, once a student was admitted, their academic path was defined by their program and their own success. Now, language proficiency is a factor," she said.

By 2024, students attending English CEGEP will be required to take five courses in French.

For those with English eligibility, those can be French-as-a-second-language courses or their regular classes in French. For those without eligibility, it has to be a mix of French as a second language and regular classes in French.

English eligibility is largely determined by family history. For example, a student is eligible to study in English if one of their parents is a Canadian citizen who studied in English in Canada, as laid out in Bill 101.

Ineligible students who attend English CEGEPs must also pass an exam in French called Épreuves uniformes en langue d'enseignement et littérature (ÉULEL) to graduate. This is the same exam students in the French CEGEPs are required to pass.

To ensure students are able to take all the required courses in French and prepare for the exam, "we have doubled all our program grids, which was logistically and administratively challenging," said Christian Corno of Marianopolis College in Westmount, Que.

Officials from several CEGEPs have told Radio-Canada that they have prepared additional measures to support students who are weaker in French, ensuring they can pass their classes and the mandatory examination.

While that may seem simple on paper, it has had a significant impact on school organization, schedules, facilities and teaching teams, said Moncion.

French teachers have worked tirelessly in recent months to develop the new courses that will help students pass the uniform French examination, said Diane Gauvin, Dawson College's director general.