Liberia lacks French textbooks to support the country’s French curriculum, according to the President of the Liberia Secondary School French Teachers’ Association, Mr. Michel B. Konan He made the observation here Tuesday, 16 July at the official launch of the Liberia Secondary School French Teachers’ Association training exercise under the theme, “Importance of Using a Unique French Language Curriculum in the School System.”
Mr. Konan further notes that besides the lack of French textbooks, teachers are limited in preparing their lessons, because they lack reference materials, while students have nothing to use as study guide to deepen their knowledge about the French language, indicating that French is not included among the subjects administered by the West African Examinations Council or WAEC.
He emphasizes that this has very serious consequences for the teaching and learning of the French language in Liberian schools, as lessons given by teachers from one school to another are not in conformity.
According to him, since 2013, there has been no training seminar for French teachers due to lack of financial support.He appeals to the Government of Liberia for support to enable the Association obtain materials and financial resources to capacitate teachers for their training seminar, which was expected to have started from 16th to 18th July on the campus of the B.W. Harris High School on Broad Street, Monrovia.
He also wants the government to prioritize French so that the curriculum can fully be placed at the disposal of teachers, including textbooks for proper research, which would also enable students to do references and assignments, while stressing the to include French in the Liberian Senior High School Exams and the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations or WASSCE.
Deputizing for the Minister of Education, the Regional Education Officer for Bong, Nimba, Lofa, and Grand Bassa Counties, George S. S. Wuo, underscores the importance of having the French language taught in schools across the country.
Mr. Wuo agrees that this is very important because it has a positive impact on not only students, but parents and people involved in cross-border trade and activities.
He assures the Association that the Ministry will contact a group in the United States to print and supply French textbooks to Liberia for primary and secondary levels.
He calls on the leadership of Association to select some French teachers to undergo further studies of the French language to build their knowledge and skills, emphasizing the need for people to stop overlooking French lessons that could positively contribute to students speaking good French.
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For his part, the Director for French studies at the Ministry of Education pledges the Ministry’s commitment to meeting the needs of French teachers in the country in enhancing the teaching of French subject in schools here. By Emmanuel Mondaye–Editing by Jonathan Browne
