REPORT

In the city of Haute-Corse, the nonprofit organization Scola Corsa has become the leading example of the “immersive” model in development in the region, encouraged by the rectorate and the majority autonomist government, in the name of preserving the Corsican language.

On his graph paper, young Felice diligently wrote the date: “Marti u 3 di marzu”. On the upper floor of Scola Corsa school in Bastia, about fifteen students are practicing math in Corsican today. Hanging on the wall, the poster “je suis, tu es, il est” reminds that French is also taught. However, only three hours a week from CE1 are dedicated to it. The rest of the national education program is taught in the island’s language.

With around 90 students from kindergarten to CE2, this free and small association has become one of the most advanced examples of the “immersive” model in development in Corsica. “Our fight is pioneering,” explains Ghjiseppu Turchini, president of the French Eskolim network, which brings together schools in regional languages. “We do not oppose languages, they are complementary. Uniformity is death.” According to him, Corsica, with five establishments…