Bursary Program to Attract More French Teachers to Nova Scotia

More young francophone and bilingual teachers will be teaching French in Nova Scotia schools as a result of a new bursary program.

The program announced today, April 13, by the Department of Education and the Department of Canadian Heritage, will offset tuition costs for nine future teachers who commit to teaching French in Nova Scotia public schools.

The federal-provincial French Language Bursary Program encourages students to pursue their Bachelor of Education in French, accept full-time positions with a Nova Scotia school board, and then agree to teach in the province for at least two years after being hired. In return, the province will reimburse successful students the tuition of their bachelor of education program, up to a maximum of two years.

Nova Scotia school boards have been struggling for years to attract and retain enough qualified French-language teachers to staff French second language and French first language programs.

"Nova Scotia is competing with other provinces and territories for a very limited number of French teachers," said Education Minister Karen Casey. "We believe this bursary will provide a significant incentive to university students to pursue education studies in French, and to teach in Nova Scotia."

The program, cost-shared between the federal and provincial governments, is limited to six bursaries for students pursuing a bachelor of education in French second language and three for students pursuing a bachelor of education in French first language. The program is estimated to cost $45,000 in the first year.

To be eligible, students must be Canadian citizens, attending a francophone or bilingual institution, and maintain good academic marks.

The deadline for applications is April 30. For an application and more information on the program, go to www.b-ed-bourse .