By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

Refusals of eligibility certificates for English instruction have gone up by nearly 50 per cent since the 2020-2021 school year, according to data shared with the BCN by the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur (MEES).

Two hundred and fifty certificate applications were refused in the 2020-2021 school year, compared to 495 in 2022-2023 and 350 so far this year, the data shows.

Under the Charter of the French Language, students who enrol in English-language public schools or subsidized private schools must have an eligibility certificate. Certificates are usually granted to students under 18 who have a parent or sibling who completed the majority of their schooling in English in Canada; other students may be eligible under certain circumstances (for example, if a student has a learning disability or if their stay in Quebec is temporary). School boards work with families to submit eligibility certificate applications, but the final decision on whether to confer eligibility rests with the MEES.

School officials, including Eastern Townships School Board (ETSB) chairperson Michael Murray, have raised concerns in recent weeks about an apparent rise in the number of eligibility certificate applications being refused.

The ministry did not provide information about the geographical breakdown or the reasons for the refusals. However, since the passage of Bill 96, students with eligibility certificates have easier access to English CEGEPs and face less demanding language requirements in CEGEP, leading to speculation about whether young adults who have attended French school are applying for certificates between high school and CEGEP.

Ministry spokesperson Bryan St-Louis clarified that young adults who have finished high school aren’t entitled to eligibility certificates. “Eligibility certificates are requested by parents before or during their child’s studies, and issued to students enrolled in preschool, elementary or high school in the youth sector. A student must be declared eligible before the end of their secondary studies,” he said.

In a previous interview, Murray urged families to contact the ETSB and apply for eligibility certificates for their children “as soon as possible,” even if their children attend school in the French system. In addition to easing access to English CEGEPs, the certificates ensure that English school eligibility is passed from parent to child.