As from next year, the Department of State for Education (DoSE), will receive a real boost from the French Technical Assistance in The Gambia.

Besides the traditional assistance given in the training sector, a new generation of programs will be explored. In support of this new policy, the French Mission will inject, for the next three years, 1.8M Euros into the educational system in order to improve French training course in the country.

Michel Lebret, Head of the French Mission based in Dakar, revealed this in a meeting yesterday with experts at the Regional Education Directorate (Region One) in Kanifing.

Breaking the policy into three components, Mr Lebret disclosed that the policy will focus on Training in the French language, upgrading the level of knowledge of those using French in their professional life. The policy will also focuses on ensuring that the French language will be seen as an important package in the educational system.

Reacting to this new development, Dr Alieu Badara Senghore, Principal of the Gambia College, said that the Department of State for Education has already accepted French as a core subject. He also mentioned that Gambia College is moving towards a comprehensive program in implementing French as an introductory subject to all other program areas since it has been incorporated into the education policy.

In a similar vein, Dr Omar Jah, from the Department of Humanities, Arts and Languages in the University of The Gambia (UTG), pointed out the fact that French has always been part of the UTG’s requirements.

Michel Imbert, Head of the French Technical Assistance in The Gambia and Mrs Souto, a Senior Lecturer at the UTG also expressed their confidence of this new direction.