French immersion continues to be a favourite choice for many parents that enroll their kids in Delta's public school system.
Preliminary enrollment figures for the new school year show Delta has roughly 2,050 students registered in French immersion, which is about 13 per cent of the student population and is a slight increase from the year before.
About 1,330 students are enrolled in elementary schools with another 720 in secondary schools. The number of students enrolled has grown steadily in recent years, up 150 from 2010.
Delta was highlighted in a report released this month by Canadian Parents for French, which stated that province-wide, French immersion enrollment has been increasing for 17 consecutive years. As of the 2014/15 school year, there were more than 50,000 students in French immersion in the province, or just over nine per cent of B.C's public school enrollment. The report found during the same school year, just over 31 per cent of students in the province were taught French through the basic core program.
The report also noted that enrollment in Delta's French immersion program increased over the past six years even though overall student enrollment in Delta decreased by 817 students.
"We believe French programs are popular in Delta because they are widely recognized by parents as providing young students with the tools and experiences that will enrich their lives and help them prepare for the future," said Patti Holm, president of Canadian Parents for French B.C. Yukon.
Asked why so many parents want to enroll their kids, Christine Carriou, the Delta district's modern languages coordinator, said, "Parents understand the value that comes with knowing the French language and with the process of learning in another language.
"Speaking French opens so many doors for our students - scholarships, study and travel opportunities, excellent career prospects, and the ability to learn other languages more easily. Learning a new language is also tremendously beneficial for cognitive development, where bilingualism is known to enhance reasoning and problem-solving abilities."
In Delta, the process to enroll in French Immersion begins in January with parent information events. Application forms are due at the beginning of February.
