Algeria’s recent decision to compel Francophone private schools to adopt the national Arabic curriculum is raising questions about the country’s relationship with the French language, further underscoring France’s diminishing influence in Africa.
Education Minister Abdelkrim Belabed emphasized that no language is being “targeted” and stressed the importance of multilingualism.
Algeria, despite having one of the world’s largest populations of French speakers outside France, is shifting its focus towards English and Indigenous languages, signaling a reevaluation of French’s role in its education system.
This move follows the footsteps of neighboring countries like Mali, which removed French from its list of official languages, and Morocco, which made English classes mandatory in high schools.
Algeria’s decision to expand English language courses in elementary schools and enforce a law requiring private schools to follow the predominantly Arabic national curriculum reflects the country’s efforts to assert its cultural and linguistic identity.
While French remains widely used in Algeria, its significance has been a subject of debate since gaining independence from France over 60 years ago. Language is deeply intertwined with Algerian nationalism, echoing the slogan from that era:
- “Algeria is my country, Arabic is my language, and Islam is my religion.”
As Algeria strengthens its commitment to Arabic and Indigenous languages, the influence of French continues to wane in the region, contributing to broader discussions about cultural identity and language in former French colonies.
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