Over 430 students are currently undergoing a 5-day French government funded CALUFU French language learning project in Uganda. Happening for the first time in the Country, the project has received over 430 secondary school students from 22 schools in Central Uganda.
The project according to the organizers, Association of Teachers of French in Uganda (APFO), is anticipated to target all regions of the Country with Central Uganda, being the first hotspot, will be followed by Western Uganda, Eastern, Northern and West Nile regions respectively.
CALUFU camp running under the thème : Créer en français à l’ère du numérique, which loosely translates to Creating in French in the digital age, according to the organizers, is aimed at enlightening French learners in secondary schools with the basics they ought to grasp while taking on with French language.
Speaking at the camp launch, Dr. Agatha Tumwine APFO President cited the need for the French learners to adapt to the newer digital era in French learning and understanding, an aspect she termed as the new ‘soft skill’ in today’s era.
Agartha echoed, “We need to have an international generation (one that speaks more than one language in addition to English that doubles as an official language in Uganda and other British colonized countries.”
She further urged the young generation to pay attention and respect their mother tongue as well and avoid shinning it completely as it tampers with one’s culture and background.
“As we embrace international languages, we shouldn’t therefore, forget our mother tongues as well because it’s one of the cultural element heritage for any given culture. Let’s embrace international languages basically through a holistic citizenry approach and by doing so, we shall be promoting multilingualism which is our top priority with this exercise.”
Prof. Milburga Atcero, Dean Faculty of Tourism, Languages, Leisure and Hospitality at Makerere University Business School (MUBS), advised the participants to simply make learning French in a fun-filled environment and ensure it as an everyday game.
“French with games is one of the most workable things; it’s a desirable beauty of learning outside the classroom that both French learners and teachers should appreciate if vivid results are to be registered. Friends it’s no longer a must do for one to attend everyday classes so as to learn French, one just needs to identify French games, French applications including Alexa among others. So, I say to you, I would love to see participants of this exercise, eat in French, Dance, sing in French and even be romantic in French.”
The 2 years’ CALUFU is a French government funded project with close to 280.000 euros and is aimed at boosting French learning in Uganda including training of teachers countrywide and students among others.
