‘As soon as possible’: Parents encouraged to apply for English eligibility certificates amid back-to-school

Students headed back to the classroom across Montreal’s English schools Thursday.

With the start of the new school year, some are wondering about the availability of English eligibility certificates, since those enrolling their children in an English elementary or high school in Quebec need one.

The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) says parents should start the process sooner, since it can be lengthy and complicated.

Applications are sent to the school board, and are transferred to the Ministry.

“Before the child even starts school, it’s really important,” said Joe Ortona, Chair of the EMSB, on Thursday morning outside of Parkdale Elementary School in Saint-Laurent. 

“We have a government here that is demonstrating an unwillingness to make it easy for English-speaking Quebecers to get an English eligibility certificate. And in fact, they said that they wouldn’t give it to anyone once they completed high school,” Ortona added.

Quebec’s Education Ministry confirmed to CityNews that with the Charter of the French Language, certificates can only be issued to school-aged children and it’s not possible for an adult that already completed high school to obtain one.

If an application has been denied, parents can contest the decision — something Bendu Davis had to do. 

“It was by the grace of God she’s in English school,” said Davis, a parent of two — with her daughter Kiara starting fourth grade on Thursday. “I’m an immigrant from Liberia, so we [didn’t have] opportunity to come to English school.”

Children whose parents or grandparents did not attend English schools do not have the right. Immigrants are always placed in French schools under Bill 101 — the Charter of the French language.

“The children couldn’t pass the welcome class,” Davis said, adding that her children spent years trying to learn French. “So, we went to court, we won, so now he government allowed them to go to English school.”

One parent named Kassandra had a similar experience herself.

“My parents are immigrants, my sister was born here,” she said. “So she had to go to court to get my certificate so that I was eligible to go to English school.”

Samantha Sabourin, a parent of two, was not born in Quebec and faced some hurdles in applying for eligibility for her children.

“Getting the English certificate was challenging with my oldest,” she said. “The second one was easier because we already had his eligibility, but the first time we had to get it, it was very challenging. My husband and I had to look through old school records and everything.”

After the Quebec government introduced the new language directives for the health-care network, the province had to clarify that an eligibility certificate wouldn’t be necessary to receive health care in English.

“If anyone needs help to get the certificate, you can reach out to my office or to any MNA office, we’re going to help you to get your certificate,” said Marwah Rizqy, Liberal MNA Saint-Laurent and Official Opposition Critic for Education, outside Parkdale on Thursday.

“But of course, the government of Mr. Legault, if you want to put more bureaucracy, you have to make sure that the English speaking community can have access to their certificates.”

The Education Ministry says processing times for applications may vary — generally they are done after three weeks.

Meanwhile, one of the challenges the government is currently facing: the over 2,707 teaching positions that remained unfilled as of Wednesday.

“Those numbers, they changed from one day to another,” said Ortona, about positions at the EMSB.

“It’s the first day of school. There is a qualified teacher in every classroom,” he added.

And that’s what it’s all about for the students, including grade four student Kiara: “The principal is nice, my friends are nice and the teachers.”

She also said she’s excited to be seeing her friends again.

Jaazara in grade six says, “I think I’m going to study really hard.”

Meanwhile, back-to-school isn’t too thrilling for grade three student, Jacob. “Not excited about that.”