PARENTS should decide whether bilingual learning becomes a feature of the Island’s education system, according to Deputy Philip Bailhache in what he describes as an attempt to find the “middle ground” with Education Minister Rob Ward.
The Deputy has lodged an amendment to his own proposition – deferred last month following objections from the Education Minister and primary head teachers – seeking in-principle approval for at least two bilingual primary schools to be introduced if parents whose children could attend back the idea in a survey.
His original proposition asked the States to “take the necessary steps to convert, by the beginning of the academic year 2025-2026, a minimum of three primary schools into English-French bilingual schools” but it met with opposition from the Education Minister and primary head teachers who were surveyed by the department.
Responding to the setback, Deputy Bailhache said in a report accompanying his amendment: “It is hoped that this might be regarded as occupying middle ground between my original proposition and the minister’s position.
“Importantly, the amendment seeks only in-principle support for French/English bilingual education dependent upon a positive outcome to an up-to-date survey of the views of parents of pre-school children.”
He added that when a survey was last conducted in 2014 62% of parents responding said they would send their child to such a school if it were available.
“If the response is similar today, it would represent a convincing argument for the establishment of bilingual schools,” he said.
The amended proposition, due to be debated on 22 October, asks States Members to give in-principle approval for the conversion of at least two primary schools into English-French bilingual schools with bilingual tuition phased-in, starting with the youngest pupils. Deputy Bailhache then wants the minister to work with Statistics Jersey to survey parents of pre-school children to establish their willingness to send their child to a bilingual school.
If that survey indicates support, he wants the minister to appoint “an appropriately qualified project manager to ensure a smooth transition to bilingual teaching” to have at least two bilingual schools operating by the start of the 2026-27 academic year.
A survey conducted by the Education Department found that of responses gathered from 21 out of 24 schools none supported the idea put forward by Deputy Bailhache.
