A compromise to the controversial amendment to Bill 96 that would force students in English-language cegeps to take three program-related courses in French in order to graduate is raising more questions than answers among students and faculty.
Quebec’s Minister Responsible for the French Language Simon Jolin-Barrette proposed on Tuesday that students who are uncomfortable taking core program courses in French will instead be allowed to switch them for three French-language classes of 45 hours each.
The Record spoke to Champlain Students’ Association President Malayha Vaillancourt and VP Academic Alexandra Patella about the recent news surrounding Bill 96 and Jolin-Barrette’s compromise to the controversial amendment originally tabled by the Quebec Liberal Party.
“If it’s three French classes in total with the ones we actually already have to take I think that’s fine because I think it would just add one or two extra. If it’s three French courses extra to what we’re already taking, that’s going to elevate the workload for our students,” said Vaillancourt.
She wonders how this legislation will impact a program such as the one she is currently enrolled in at Champlain. Vaillancourt is studying special care counselling. The program follows the same cohort for three years, she explained, adding they all take the same core courses.
She told The Record that with Bill 96 in play, it could lead to some of her classmates trailing behind their peers. It could also create an organizational nightmare for the cegep and its professors, Vaillancourt added. It will also likely be detrimental to a student’s R-score.
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