Students in New Brunswick’s anglophone education sector will have access to more language-learning opportunities through a new centre of excellence.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development launched its sixth centre of excellence on Tuesday with this one focusing on language learning.
The centre is one of eight commitments the government made last July to improve the anglophone education sector.
“As the only officially bilingual province in Canada, it is especially important our students grow up with a strong grasp of both official languages,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Bill Hogan.
“We are thankful to our partners and for the excitement everyone has shown in bringing this new centre to life.”
Officials hope the centre will improve access to authentic French-language learning resources, create an innovative network of educators and experts, and expand language-learning opportunities for students and educators.
The centre was launched in partnership with the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick, Canadian Parents for French, the Official Languages Secretariat, Tourism HR Canada, and the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick.
Luis Cardoso, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick, said experiential learning is a wonderful way to take students beyond the classroom and support their curriculum through real-life experiences.
“It will undoubtedly play a key role in the development of a bilingual tourism workforce in New Brunswick, which we know is a community connector and can only serve to strengthen the authentic tourism experience in our province,” said Cardoso.
In addition to experiential learning opportunities for students, the centre will offer professional learning for educators, career profile information and speaker series videos. The centre will also serve as a resource for French immersion.
More information about the new centre is available by clicking here.
