PRE-DEGREE/CERTIFICATE REGISTRATION/SCHOOL FEES
UniPort To Partner Alliance Francais On Language Training
- Details
- Published: 11 October 2016
The authorities of the University have expressed willingness to partner Alliance Francais in the effective teaching of the French language to students and other interested staff of the University. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ndowa Lale, gave the assurance when he received a two-member delegation from the organisation in his office on Friday, September 30, 2016.
Professor Lale, who stated that the University was delighted over the partnership, said that the opportunity of being bi-lingual held out immense benefits to staff and students who may wish to expand their network and pool of experience beyond Nigeria.
“We are surrounded by French-speaking countries in the West African sub-region and it is only proper that Nigerians should make that extra effort to acquire bi-lingual competences that can confer added advantage on them in the areas of employment, diplomatic and cultural exchanges. Acquisition of bi-lingual skills can reduce the level of unemployment we currently face in this country because, those who can speak another international language are in a far better position to explore job opportunities beyond their own countries. Let me assure you that we will do everything possible to ensure that this partnership works out well to the mutual benefit of Alliance Francais and the University of Port Harcourt,” the Vice-Chancellor told his guests.
In her remarks, Director of Alliance Francais in Rivers State, Madame Helene Gueneau-Okutue, stated that the cultural organisation teaches French, in addition to engaging in other linguistic and cultural cooperation activities in the State.
“Alliance Francais is desirous of taking the already existing relationship with the University of Port Harcourt to a higher level as part of our commitment to the proper teaching of the French language here. The establishment of a French Language Centre in collaboration with the University would afford the two organisations mutual benefits as it would afford staff and students, including other stakeholders in the University community and its environs a good opportunity to learn French language the French way,” the Director said at the meeting. She promised that Alliance Francais would train teachers in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures on how to teach French for effective communication purposes, requesting full support from the University for a smooth take-off of the proposed programme.
Earlier in his remarks, facilitator of the project and Director of the Exchange and Linkage Programmes Unit (ELPU), Professor Iheanacho Akakuru, disclosed that when fully operational, the proposed UniPort/Alliance Francais French Language Centre would teach communicative French to children, adults and chief executives, adding that preparation for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would give statutory teeth and legal backing to the initiative has reached advanced stages.
Madame Gueneau-Okutue was accompanied on the visit by the organisation’s Director of Studies, Pauline Yamb.
