THE ROLE OF FRENCH LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF FRENCH STUDENTS IN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION EKIADOLOR BENIN CITY

ABSTRACT

This research study was designed to review and assess the attitude of teachers to students towards French Education in College of Education Ekiadolor Benin City. This attempts to find out the various stages in studying French both in the secondary schools and higher institutions. The data collected and analyzed revealed that French education has a long way to go in the life of man in so many ways and has even brought out so many graduates in French. Based on these findings from the analyzed data, recommendations were made which the researcher hopes would help in giving our Nigerian children and public a better means for studying French as a second language.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Education is as old as the existence of man on earth. The early man learnt to adapt to his social and physical environment by observation and precautious learning. Later generations were taught to cope with their environments by the process of socialization. Over the years, government has evolved national objectives to be attained through education because education has been acclaimed as the instrument for the development of a nation. It’s a tool that appears to have been utilized by developed nations to attain national development. Developing nations particularly countries in Africa have sought national development by using education to attain desired objectives in Nigeria, aer over four decades of independence, the degree of illiteracy is still alarming and the standard of education is failing at an irredeemable rate. It was in view of the above that the federal government of Nigeria evolved the universal primary education (UPE) scheme 1976 and the universal basic education (UBE) in 1999 (Jomtien Conference, 1990 and Ehiametalor, 2000). Language is very important in every human interaction as the medium, of education. This explains the fact that in Nigeria, to be educated is synonymous with literacy and proficiency in English language English being the official language. French language is one of the most unique languages spoken in the world. It is as a medium, of communication in most African countries, especially those countries colonized by France where its spoken as the lingua franca (Tien, 1969).

French studies are multi disciplinary; however, the level of integration of the different disciplines and subject varies enormously. A period abroad is also an integral part of the vast majority of French studies, thus creating room for students to interrelate and associate with others in French speaking environment. (HEFEC, 1998). In the course of studying French language a number of problems emanate which are seen as impediment to effective learning of the concept. The inefficiency is traced to the fact that French language is not used as a mother tongue in Nigeria. As a matter of fact the French language is not widely spoken in Nigeria due to a number of difficulties. Consequently the attempt to achieve both communication and linguistic competence is not easily achieved (Abecrobe, 1956). Reverend Thomas Birch free man and Mr. and Mrs. Williams de Cra introduced western education to Nigeria in 1942 later on, other missionary bodies came in and established schools mainly in the southern part of Nigeria. Commenting on the works of the early missionaries on education, Ejiogu (1986) said apart from the problem of missionary education one other problem that was pressing in the teaching and learning of French language was that of the mother tongue interference. This has been a linguistic problem.