EMSB claims to excel in teaching French compared to Quebec government

The English Montreal School Board is making headlines as its chair, Joe Ortona, claims that they are better at teaching French than the Quebec government. Ortona stated that they are scoring higher on French exams than their French counterparts, indicating that they are doing something right that the ministry either can’t figure out or is unwilling to do.

In response to French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge’s comments about English boards needing to do better at teaching French, Ortona highlighted that students in the advanced French stream at English boards must pass the same test as those in the French school system. In 2023, 70.6% of EMSB students who wrote the test passed, slightly lower than the provincial average for public schools.

Ortona emphasized that the EMSB’s score was higher than the three French boards on Montreal Island. He also mentioned that 90% of students in enriched French in English boards passed the French test, showing their commitment to bilingual education.

The debate comes amidst the ongoing legal battle over the abolition of school boards in Quebec. Ortona criticized Roberge for his comments and urged him to stop portraying the English-speaking community as unilingual. He also called out Roberge for failing to address urgent issues in education and focusing on governance instead.

The EMSB chair’s strong stance on the issue has sparked a conversation about the importance of bilingual education and the role of school boards in shaping language policies in Quebec. The ongoing dispute between the English Montreal School Board and the Quebec government highlights the complexities of language education in a diverse and multicultural society.