order to promote services protecting their rights. Access Under the provincial Languages Act passed in 1988, English serves as the official language of the province. English is the primary language of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, with legislation passed there permitted to be published in English only. However, the Languages Act does allow legislation to be published bilingually in English and French; and permits its members to address the legislature in the French language. Although the Languages Act permits the use of French in the legislature, it revoked many of the linguistic rights previously guaranteed to Fransaskois under Section 110 of the North-West Territories Act. French is one of two official languages used in the provincial judiciary. The rights of francophones for the provincial judicial system was outlined in An Act Respecting the Use of the English and French Languages in Saskatchewan, passed in 1988 shortly after the supreme court decision on R v Mercure. Education French language education rights for minority francophone populations in Canada is guaranteed under Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and is further reinforced by the province's Education Act. The Conseil des écoles fransaskoises is the province's only francophone school division, and encompasses the entire province. The francophone school board operates twelve elementary schools and two secondary schools; with a total enrolment of 1,603 students during the 2015–16 academic year. There are no publicly-funded francophone post-secondary institutions in Saskatchewan. However, the University of Regina operates a bilingual English and French institution, La Cite universitaire francophone. The institution operates as a centre that provides a limited number of academic programs in the French-language, as well as some francophone services for the university. History Education in the French language occurred in the region as early as the 19th century, although saw efforts to curtail its instruction in the early 20th century. In 1911, the provincial government limited French language education was to Grade 1 of elementary school; before outright banning its instruction in 1931. Elementary school teachers were again permitted to teach the French language after an amendment to the provincial Education Act was enacted in 1968, allowing teachers to teach the language. Teachers in secondary school were permitted to teach French in 1971. Provisions made to the provincial Education Act in 1978 allowed for designated schools to use French as their primary language of instruction. Although these schools were open to francophones,