Learning French as a second language: A case of selected primary schools in Awka South L.G.A., Anambra State

Abstract

This study is based on learning French as a second

official language and its challenges in selected primary

schools in Awka South Local Government Area (L.G.A.)

of Anambra State, Nigeria. Purposive sampling

technique is used to sample 150 pupils in Basic 3-6 and

7 teachers of French in the area. Questionnaire which

has twenty-four items is used for the data collection and

further analyzed based on the research questions. The

findings of the study show that contrary to the

expectations of the National Policy on Education (NPE)

2008 for the adoption and inculcation of French in the 9

year basic Education curriculum, there are numerous

challenges such as inadequate number of trained

teachers of French, poor teaching methods, lack of

teaching and learning resources, and lack of quality

background in the French language. We therefore,

conclude that the status of French as a second official

language in Nigeria will not improve unless the

government makes conscientious efforts in order to

provide human and material resources needed such as

automatic employment of qualified French graduates,

adequate funding of French Education, provision of

instructional and infrastructural facilities, as well as

organizing interschool French competitions backed up

with awards in Primary and Secondary.