Six Qatari schools to reintroduce French classes

Six Qatari schools have been designated by the Supreme Education Council (SEC) to reintroduce French as an option in their curricula. French lessons in Omar Bin Khattab Secondary Boys, Al Wakrah Secondary Boys, Tariq bin Ziyad Secondary Boys, Ahmed Bin Hanbal Secondary Boys, Amna Bint Wahab al-Khater Secondary Girls and Al Kawther Secondary Girls schools will start next month, it was announced at a meeting convened by French ambassador to Qatar Jean Christophe Peaucelle yesterday. Six French language teachers who will be in charge of this reintroduction of the language are being trained by an expert from France, Cecile Canon, said the ambassador. At yesterday’s meeting held at his official residence, Peaucelle also introduced the six teachers and their trainer. The decision to reintroduce French lessons in Qatari schools was announced by Qatar Minister for Education and Higher Education HE Saad bin Ibrahim al-Mahmoud at a meeting in Paris last year where his French counterpart was also present. Doha’s French embassy and the Supreme Education Council (SEC) have since then been working closely together on the preparation of the initiative. In April this year, a French expert joined the Institute of Education of Qatar to participate in the ambitious work. The Embassy of France and French Institute of Qatar will continue to be closely engaged with the SEC and Institute of Education to support the six schools, where the language studies are being reintroduced.