A total of 65 students from Nabisunsa Girls’ Secondary School have graduated with DELF diplomas in the French language from the French Ministry of Education after attaining proficiency in the language.
DELF which stands for Diplôme d'Etudes en Langue Française are official qualifications awarded by the French Ministry of Education to certify the competency of candidates from outside France in the French language.
On Monday, the graduation and certificate awarding ceremony was held at the school and attended by officials from the French Embassy and Alliance Française de Kampala.
Speaking at the ceremony, Lucille Fontaine, the cooperation attaché in charge of culture, sports, and education as well as French language focal person at the French Embassy in Uganda who represented the Ambassador said by learning French the Nabisunsa girls were being empowered.
“We want to emphasize that French is the language of the future that girls need to have their place in society. It is for travelling, trade and do many other things. By putting children on this path, we can have them take their rightful place,” Fontaine said.
She applauded the school for ensuring for showing the students how important the French language is for them.
“It is not only about French but encourage you to keep knowing and speaking your local languages. It is very good to speak English and French but also good to know and speak your local languages. Don’t forget your local languages.”
According to Patrice Gilles, the director for Alliance Française de Kampala, said apart from taking people to places, studying French just as it is for any other language, it opens one’s mind to different things and cultures.
“You get to know about other people’s cultures because it opens one’s mind. Studying French helps one understand the world better. Attaining diplomas by the Nabisunsa students is a good gesture and will contribute towards their careers in future,” Gilles said.
Michael Kushemererwa, a French teacher at Nabisunsa for both the UNEB and international curriculums, the students attained proficiency in speaking, writing, reading and listening.
He noted that after attaining several trainings in various countries, he realized the students needed DELF training to bring them up to speed with learners in other countries.
“I realized DELF was important to students in terms of mileage because it allows them get diplomas from the Ministry of Education of France. These diplomas are valid for life. When looking for scholarships and jobs, these diplomas are an additional advantage for opportunities abroad and in international organisations. These diplomas also help learners to be fast speakers of the French language,”Kushemererwa said.
He warned parents against stopping their children from doing French language at school.
“When you do a language, it adds some mileage when you are looking for a job. The children should be encouraged to learn the language so that they don’t miss out on opportunities in the job market.”
Kushemererwa explained that the students were taught in four parts including listening, writing, reading and speaking the French language for proficiency.
“The student should be able to speak well, listen well, read and write French easily without any problem. We train them to be better speakers, writers, listeners, and readers of the French language.”
The Nabisunsa headmistress, Hajati Zulaika Nabukeera said the government school with over 1700 learners teaches French alongside other languages like Luganda, Germany and Arabic at both O and A levels.
She urged the learners to make good use of the French language skills they had acquired.