Manitoba government funds program to add more teachers to French programs

Education Minister Jon Reyes announced $350,000 in funding for the education program at the Université de Saint-Boniface on Feb. 8

New provincial funding will allow the Université de Saint-Boniface (USB) to continue with expanded student admissions into their bachelor of education program.

Jon Reyes, minister of advanced education, skills and immigration, announced $350,000 in funding for the program, which is the province’s only education program designed specifically to train teachers for Manitoba’s French Immersion and French programs.

“This will help ensure planning stability for the university and will also address an ongoing shortage of French and French Immersion teachers,” said Reyes.

Since 2017, the university has upped its student intake into the program from an average of 37 students to 67 through temporary federal grant funding but the province said that support is ending.

Reyes said demand for French programming has increased over the past decade and the continued expansion of student enrollment in the university’s education program aligns with current labour market demands.

Dr. Sophie Bouffard, the USB’s president, said she is happy the government listened to the university’s call for funding.

“With this, the Université de Saint-Boniface will continue to work toward addressing the increased demand for French-speaking teachers and fulfilling its academic and social mission in support of the continued development of the Francophonie Manitobaine,” said Bouffard.

In a statement Adrien Sala, the NDP Critic for Francophone Affairs, said French education should be prioritized and that previous government funding cuts to the USB contributed to the shortage of teachers.

“This announcement just barely covers the $324,000 in operating funding they cut between 2016 and 2019, which forced the university to cut two teaching positions and four courses. And it will not make up for the $8 million in budget cuts this government handed out to post-secondary institutions this fiscal year," he said in a statement.