Press Release
Institut de Français to teach 1,000 Sierra Leoneans by December 2009
It’s with great sense of patriotism that we declare the year 2009 a year of bilingualism for all Sierra Leoneans. To this end, banking on our expertise and facilities we hope to teach a thousand Sierra Leonean citizens, of all ages and sex, and make them knowledgeable in the French language by December 2009. This is a pledge we are committed and equal to.
Institut de Français, recognizing that genuine bilingualism promotes unity in diversity regional and international understanding, proclaimed 2009 a year of languages, a year of bilingualism-(French and English).
Additionally, we will be publishing local and materials in these two leading languages authored by Sierra Leonean writers, all with a supplementary and complimentary aim of achieving our vision.
As many languages find themselves on UNESCO list of endangered languages, the French language in Sierra Leone seems ready to be on the sierra Leonean list of endangered languages if something is not done to get it back on track and with the absence and dearth of French institutions and local learning materials. So to infuse some life into the French language especially to keep abreast with recent global trends and to make better the examination grades of students in French and English in schools and colleges, Institut de Français was born.
We aspire to promote a larger awareness of the wide scope and immense richness of the French language, its history, culture and civilization because we believe as people discover languages they discover the world.
Though it has now been ten years since the last French institution Alliance Française closed down in Sierra Leone, we encourage people not to give up on the French language as a homegrown solution to our French problem is now here and that is Institut de Français, Sierra Leone.
Learning a French language should not be intimidating because French, like English and Creole, sounds alike. For example, ‘beaucoup’ in French is the same as ‘boku’ in Creole and ‘farm’ in English is the same as ‘firm’ in French
As learning a foreign language is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, Sierra Leone must not be left behind. Foreign language skills, combined with intercultural sensitivity, are essential to Sierra Leone’s development, competitiveness and national security in today’s global environment.
As we embrace President Ernest Bai Koroma’s clarion call for attitudinal change, I call on fellow Sierra Leoneans to change their attitude towards learning a foreign language, especially an important international language like French. Poised as we are to achieve our target, to teach a thousand Sierra Leoneans by December 2009, I call on all compatriots to enroll with Institut de Français 29 Rawdon Street. Now we are learning French! Now we are speaking French!
Ahmed K. Mansaray
Director, Institut de Français, Sierra Leone,
Tel : 033 354 952, 076, 989777, 077 488 235
Email : institutdefrancaissl@outgun.com
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