Quebec’s new language law is causing confusion for English CEGEP staff and students, leading to increased stress and challenges in course selection.
Éric Cyr, who leads the union for non-teaching staff, says the changes are confusing. Students are the ones who are really feeling the impact. The law now requires them to take three extra French courses, on top of the two they already had to do.
Before this, students had about a dozen options for their courses. Now, they have 115! That’s a huge jump, and it’s causing a lot of stress. Cyr mentioned that it’s tough when students get close to graduation and realize they missed a course because of the language switch.
At Champlain College, which is on Montreal’s South Shore, the pressure is on. Dayle Lesperance, an academic advisor there, says many students, especially those who aren’t fluent in French, are feeling anxious about the extra courses.
Sasha Allen, a student at Champlain, shared that the added French classes have been a surprise challenge. He said it definitely ramps up the stress. Another student, Savannah Mangerpan, echoed that sentiment, saying it’s frustrating for those who struggle with French.
The Quebec Education Ministry is aware of the situation. They’ve set aside about $8 million to help English CEGEPs support students with workshops and language resources. But many feel it’s still not enough to ease the burden.
