» FG Declares French Compulsory For All Students «

Students from primary to tertiary institutions will
henceforth learn French language compulsorily, the federal
government said at the weekend.
It said it will embark on intensive training of more French
teachers in its bid to make it the nation’s second official
language.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof Anthony Anwukah,
stated these in Abuja yesterday when the French
Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gaver, paid him a courtesy
call.
Anwukah said: “French language is a matter of necessity.
We have to because we have Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Benin
Republic, Togo Guinea, and Ivory Coast surrounding us and
so there is need for us to get more Nigerians to become
proficient in French language.
“This is good for the continent; it is good for us as a
nation. It is good for our brothers at the borders because it
will enable us to communicate with them effectively.
Speaking to the envoy on the need to have more French
teachers, the minister said: “We plead that you consider it
a lot more expedient in helping us train our teachers in
French both for the primary school level, secondary level
and tertiary level.
“So far, we have demonstrated the enthusiasm to foster
the teaching and learning of French in Nigerian schools
which are the tertiary, basic and secondary levels and our
main concern now is the training of sufficient number of
French teachers within our school system.”
The minister also flagged off the French Clinic Project in
Federal Government Boys College Apo, Abuja.
Speaking on the project, Anwukah said: “The ministry is
geared towards establishing French clinics in 104
government colleges, unity schools.
“We are keen and motivated by the need to actualise our
dream of making French language our second language of
business in Nigeria.
“The clinic is expected to improve the listening, speaking,
reading and writing skills of students.
“It is expected that with these skills, our students will fare
better in their examinations and in the world of worth.
Gaver said in the absence of sufficient French teachers, the
internet can be employed as a tool for training teachers.