MANDALAY-Four schools in Yangon and Mandalay Regions have been offering French language lessons to the students, according to the Institut Français de Birmanie (IFB).

The Ministry of Education and the French Embassy in Myanmar cooperated in teaching French language at the Basic Education Schools for the first time ever.

“It is just a pilot project. The education ministry allows 16 schools to teach the French language. Among 16 schools, our school was chosen. Plans are underway to choose more schools for offering French language,” In-charge Aung Myat Thu, IFB’s Information and External Relations.

The selected schools for are No.16 Basic Education High School in Mandalay, No.1 Basic Education High School in Dagon Township, No.2 Basic Education High School in Bahan Township and Practising High School Yangon Institute of Education-TTC in Yangon Regions.

Since the lessons began in the second week of September, there are now 30 students that had enrolled. The French language class will be two times per week and the project will also offer a joyful teaching program.

Advanced classes will be offered year per year and will continue all the way until high school levels. The syllabus is being drawn by IFB and teachers from Mandalay French Center and experts.

“Some schools had taught the racial languages. As some didn’t teach the ethnic languages, we teach the French as a second foreign language,” said Aung Myat Thu.