News Release

EDMUNDSTON (CNB) – A competition called Actifs et fiers – Nouveau-Brunswick (active and proud – New Brunswick) has been launched by the Department of Education in connection with this year’s institute for principals of francophone schools.

The competition is a new initiative organized as part of Provincial French Pride Week and the Semaine nationale de la francophonie (national francophonie week) to celebrate educational activities, and it dovetails with the identity-building organized by the francophone schools during the academic year.

"New Brunswick schools have already won the Actifs et fiers competition several times at the national and Atlantic levels," said Education Minister Roland Haché. “We are recognized for promoting the French language and Acadian and francophone culture in Canada. This new provincial component of the competition aims to promote and recognize schools that excel in and contribute significantly to the implementation of projects and activities that highlight identity-building in their students.

"With the co-operation of the Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française (Canadian association for education in the French language) and the Association des directions francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick (association of francophone principals of New Brunswick), the Department of Education will without question promote better identity-building among francophone students."

Each francophone school district will determine its winning school. A panel will identify the winning school for the province, which will represent New Brunswick in the Atlantic region. A national jury will then select the winning schools by region and the winner for Canada. The winning schools at the national and Atlantic levels can take home cash prizes and a gift certificate.

"The Actifs et fiers competition is an excellent way to promote the implementation of activities by the schools in connection with identity-building," said Yves St-Maurice, president, Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française. “We are pleased that New Brunswick is playing a leadership role by offering its schools new opportunities and improving existing ones to motivate and highlight the work of the schools in this respect.”

The winning schools from the New Brunswick component will be invited to participate in the awards ceremony to be held as part of Provincial French Pride Week in March.

"Through our essential role of passing on culture within New Brunswick's francophone schools, we absolutely had to seize the opportunity to sponsor Actifs et fiers in Nouveau-Brunswick," said Richard Lemay, president, Association des directions d'écoles francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick. "We believe this competition will enable the schools to create unifying projects that will give students the opportunity to develop greater confidence in their identity."

Schools have until Feb. 9, 2011, to apply. Further information is on the Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française website.

LINK:

●    Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française (French only)