Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education says Government is prioritising the learning of French Language from the basic to tertiary level to open-up the local economy.
He said basic knowledge in French Language would reposition Ghanaian entrepreneurs to explore francophone markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Dr Adutwum said this on Tuesday in Accra at the launch of the French Teacher Mobility Programme, established by the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) to meet the needs of member countries that commit to a national plan for quality teaching of and in French.
Under the Programme, Ghana has received 21 French Teachers from French-speaking countries to support the training of French Teachers and enhance the usage of French in the country.
They will be deployed to the Colleges of Education in charge of the training of French teachers, the Regional Centres for the Teaching of French, and bilingual classes.
The Ministry of Education and the OIF in November 2021, signed a three-year framework cooperation agreement on the Programme to strengthen the linguistic and pedagogical skills of French teachers in Ghana.
The Minister said education was priority to all nations in the world, stressing that the new partnership was a major step in the implementation of the Linguistic Pact signed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2019.
The signing of the Linguistic Pact culminated in the adoption of an Action Plan on four thematic areas: Education, Francophone environment, Linguistic development, and Language.
“Developing the knowledge of the young ones with the French Language will groom them to become leaders of ECOWAS and Francophone companies and contribute to the development of the country,” he said.
He commended the OIF for the support,and urged parents to encourage children to take the study of French Language seriously for future benefits.
Madam Anne Sophie Ave, the French Ambassador to Ghana, indicated that with the strategic location of Ghana in the West African Sub-region, learning French Language by Ghanaians would go a long way to promote the socio-economic development of the country.
She said Ghana hosting the headquarters of AfCFTA, meant Ghanaians needed to study French Language for job opportunities in French-speaking countries.
The Ambassador lauded President Akufo-Addo for taking a keen interest in speaking of French in the country.
Madame Renie Yotova, Head of Delegation, OIF, said the signing of the agreement would strengthen the initial training of primary, secondary school students and the continuing education of teachers and education professionals in the country.
The IOF is an organisation that covers 88 members of States and Governments that use the French Language as a common medium of communication to promote peace, good governance, respect for culture and linguistic diversity to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.
Source: Ghana News Agency