Surrey’s frustrating French immersion funnel

There are more than 100 elementary schools in Surrey, but only six offer early French immersion.

I am writing over the frustration I have had trying to register my son into French immersion kindergarten in Surrey.

I do not think the current set-up is working as well as it could be.

There are more than 100 elementary schools in Surrey, but only six offer early French immersion.

The system on how to register a child is also unfair and does not provide equal opportunity for those wanting their child to have a chance at learning French starting in kindergarten.

On Jan. 16 at 5 p.m., hundreds of parents and their family and friends called into one number in hopes of getting through to put their child’s name on a list for one of six schools.

It took myself and my six other family members 40 minutes to get through to a live person.

My son did not get into the school I had been hoping for and is now very far down on the waiting list and will likely not be able to ever attend the school I had wanted.

The demand for French immersion is high in Surrey and something needs to be done to ensure our children do not lose out on this opportunity.

I am not alone in this situation, far from it.

 

T. Fisher

Surrey

Surrey Now Leader