acgeny INFO-PARENTS ciciniesetaniion cy

Ediforial

FRANCOPHONI

SCHOOL

GOVERNANCE

Following the provincial
government announcement in July
1995 of its intention to establish a
Francophone School Board, on
November 2, 1995, they adopted a
Francophone Education Regulation
for the establishment ofa Francophone
Education Authority. From July 1,
1996, the areaincluding Fraser Valley,
Greater Vancouver and Greater
Victoria will be under the jurisdiction
of the Francophone Education
Authority. The provincial government
appointed five directors to the first
board of directors on December 14,
1995 and they were sworninon January
19, 1996.

To structure an educational system
is nota minor task. After the sworn in
ceremony, the directors of the Authority
rolled up their sleeves and adopted a
Strategy for Operation including a
vision, a mission and long term
objectives.

Acompany of consultants was hired
for the establishment ofamanagement
structure. It will help in the selection
and hiring of a CEO. It will also
negotiate agreements with school
boards in the area targeted and set up
management systems and policies
necessary to operate.

All these actions take time, and
time is what we are lacking.
Presently little information is available
when it comes to the changes to come
and it creates uncertainty amongst
partners in education being parents,
teachers, principals or administrators.

Par Marc Gignac

Consequently this uncertainty
causes the spreading of inaccurate
information and creates anxiety amongst
all.

This situation is due to the provincial
government late start to materialize its
intention after the announcement of last
July 28. In fact it took six months.
Enough time to consult and inform
partners in education before taking
action. Now within a very short period,
the Francophone Education Authority
will have to inform, to consult and to
take action all at the same time. Quite
achallenge!

On our side, A.P.F.C.B. is presently
visiting Parents Committees to inform
them on the developments and identify
the parents’ main concerns. The
objectives of these meetings with the
committees are mainly to make clear the
position of A.P.F.C.B. in relation to the
Francophone Education Authority and
to reassure parents faced with the
changes that will occur during the
implementation process of Francophone
governance.

The visit will take place in two
steps. The first step is to meet with
Parents Committees of the targeted
areaunder the Francophone Education
Authority’s jurisdiction; the second
step will be to visit Parents Committees
not included in the Francophone
School District in April and May. We
hope to see you all when we come to
your region.

The process of implementation of
Francophone governance is on tracks.
Changes must be anticipated on short
and long terms. These changes will
have an impact on all affected
individuals. Anxiety, resistance,
uncertainty will appear. During the
process, encouraging consultation
among all partners and finding
solutions to difficulties arising will be
then very important. This will permit
to reduce the impact while keeping in
mind the main goal of this beautiful
project: to offer children a quality of
education respecting their cultural and
linguistic specificity.

ie)

THE FRANCOPHONE EDUCATION
AUTHORITY: A.PFEC.B.’S POSITION

Since the provincial government
announcement of its intention to
establish a Francophone Education
Authority through Regulation,
A.P.F.C.B.’s position has not
changed.

As mentioned in our press release
of July 28, 1995, A.P.F.C.B. does
not and willnot support the provincial
government initiative. As stressed in
the Regulation, all obligations and

responsibilities for Francophone
children education falls on parents,
but the necessary tools given by the
government for this task are not
efficient. The Association carries on
with the legal proceedings and is
preparing an amendment to the
Statement of Claim as several areas
in the Regulation do not seem to meet
the requirements of the Charter.

See page 8