Knowledge of French language can be asset for Ghana – Ambassador
The Ambassador of France to Ghana says knowledge of the French language can be an asset to the country in many ways.
Mr Francois Pujolas said knowledge of the French language for a Ghanaian, combined with a French degree, represent a real asset for getting a job in the surrounding French speaking countries, and can contribute to Ghana’s efforts at regional integration, economic and social development.
“Being bi-lingual and multicultural provides job opportunities at an international level as French language is spoken all over the world,” he said.
Speaking at the launch of the France Alumni Ghana platform at his residence in Accra Tuesday October 3, 2017, Mr Pujolas pointed out that in five years the number of Ghanaian students leaving to study in France has nearly doubled. He said in the year 2012, 120 Ghanaians left for studies in France and the number has increased to 220 in 2017.
The France Alumni Ghana platform is an online social and professional network to gather all Ghanaians who have previously studied in France, in any discipline such as French language, engineering, political science and so on.
According to a press release from the French Embassy, the Alumni are quite numerous. “Till date 230 alumni have registered on the platform,” it said.
“Already more than 200 of them have expressed their willingness to be part of this network and it can be estimated that there are 800 more Alumni that could join this network in the coming days and week,” it added.
The release further said the France alumni network will facilitate connections among alumni and serve as a hub for Ghanaians and French corporations to harness the skills of alumni in the professional space.
“France has a significant reputation of industrial excellence with more than 25 international corporations being leaders in their respective fields from aeronautics to health, transportation to energy. This platform will allow alumni to access career opportunities with these corporations and organisations as they will be able to post their CVs, manage profiles, engage in intellectual exchanges and more,” the release noted.
The first ever ‘Study in France’ fair which followed the launch of the France Alumni Ghana platform was also held on Wednesday October 4, 2017, to create the opportunity for potential students to interact with representatives of various Universities who were at the Fair.
In an interview with ghanabusinessnews.com during the Fair, Oumou Diakite, deputy head of Africa unit of Campus France Paris, said studying in France is very affordable. She said in public schools in France, the fee for undergraduate students is as low as €184 per semester, and the French government pays €14,000 as grants not to students but to the schools, adding that international students have the same rights as French students.
The Fair which was organised by the Campus France in collaboration with the French Embassy brought together representatives of 12 universities in France and over 100 potential students.
By: Solomon Otu Mensah