Canadian Youth Need More Second-Language Opportunities at University, Says Graham Fraser

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Oct 29 (MARKET WIRE) --
One of our country's biggest assets, its two official languages, must be
seen as a key element at all levels of our education system, including
the post-secondary level, said Commissioner of Official Languages Graham
Fraser today after the release of a new study. The study recommends that
the federal government offer financial support so that university
students have more opportunities to perfect their knowledge of English
and French.

"What we found through this study is that some universities offer
second-language courses to students, but that there is a definite lack of
more intensive second-language learning opportunities. Joint action by
governments and universities is needed in order to change that," said the
Commissioner. "The opportunity to learn and perfect second-language
skills must go beyond the elementary and high school levels."

The study is entitled Two Languages, A World of Opportunities:
Second-Language Learning in Canada's Universities. It includes a survey
of 84 universities and identifies important gaps that keep students from
developing their second-language skills as they pursue higher education
and prepare to enter the workforce. In addition to the study, the Office
of the Commissioner of Official Languages has launched an on-line
interactive map to assist students in finding universities that offer
intensive second-language learning programs and opportunities. The map is
available on the Office of the Commissioner's Web site.

Currently, immersion-style second-language programs in Canadian
universities are quite limited. For example, very few universities offer
subject-matter courses taught in the second language or second-language
courses tailored to different disciplines, such as engineering, business
or nursing. In addition, collaboration between English- and
French-language universities on initiatives such as exchange programs is
limited, and university policies and requirements with regard to
knowledge of both official languages are minimal or non-existent.

"The federal government and Canada's universities have a responsibility
to prepare our youth to have the skills for a knowledge-based society and
to compete in an increasingly global job market," said the Commissioner.
"Language skills are an asset in the public and private sectors."

"Canada must show leadership in this area," stated Fraser. "I am
encouraged to see that the federal government and the provinces and
territories, through the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, have
added second-language learning and courses taught in the second language
as performance targets in the recently signed Protocol for Agreements for
Minority-Language Education and Second-Language Instruction. But for this
and similar initiatives to succeed, there must be broad-based
mobilization as well as the necessary funding. This would make the
post-secondary level the stepping stone-not the missing link-on the road
to bilingualism for young Canadians."

"I therefore call on the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official
Languages to convene universities, educational organizations, language
experts and governments to discuss how to improve second-language
learning opportunities in universities and determine the investment that
needs to be made so that Canadian youth can take full advantage of our
country's linguistic duality," Fraser concluded.

The study is available at www.officiallanguages.gc.ca and the interactive
map can be viewed on this site as well.

Contacts:
Robin Cantin
Manager, Media Relations
613-995-0374
Cell: 613-324-0999
Toll-free: 1-877-996-6368
robin.cantin@ocol-clo.gc.ca

Copyright 2009, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

-0-