High School winners take a picture with their gifts at Alliance Francaise de Kampala on March 7. PHOTOS | PROMISE TWINAMUKYE
For most Ugandan students, learning French has for long been just another subject in school. But for those taking part in Njogera Français, a competition organised by Alliance Française de Kampala (AFK), French is no longer just about passing exams, it is opening doors to career opportunities, scholarships, and international networks.
The competition, which aims to motivate students and teachers, comes with incentives.
According to Karim Cwiny’ay, the project coordinator at AFK, top-performing students, teachers and schools get rewarded.
"The best schools win computers, the best students receive tablets and certificates, and top teachers win trips to France," Cwiny’ay explains. This year’s edition introduced a new twist, with more than 15 scholarships to Egypt offered to outstanding participants alongside the usual prizes.
Student-centred approach to learning
The Njogera Français initiative fits perfectly in Uganda’s new secondary school curriculum which emphasises practical and student-centred learning. Many teachers have found that it mirrors the Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française (DELF) training, an internationally recognised certification for French proficiency.
DELF is not just an exam; it is a lifelong certificate that opens doors everywhere: “My students understand its value so much that they ask me, ‘Teacher, when are the DELF exams due?” says Irene Sebugwawo, a French instructor at Gayaza High School.
While some teachers are still getting accustomed to the new curriculum, Sebugwawo says it has been a smooth transition for her because the DELF exams align well with the curriculum requirements.
“Alliance Française has also brought native French speakers to our school, which enhances the learning experience. In addition, we have a school exchange programme with André-Chanson Loviga Cité Scolaire, which allows students to interact with native speakers regularly,” she says.
The new teaching approach incorporates real-life applications of French, moving beyond traditional memorisation. Students engage with listening exercises with native speakers, writing emails and letters, and even discussing real-world topics such as sports and social issues in French.
“We show them Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) football matches with French commentary. It excites them, and they pick up authentic spoken French in a fun way,” says Joseph Obale, a French teacher who won a fully paid trip to France under the initiative.
Njogera Francais for teacher skills
Winning a trip to France has helped Obale in many ways than one in understanding how to improve the French proficiency of his students.
Technology, he learnt, plays a big role in language learning today. He therefore incorporates it as much as possible.
“DigiPad, for example, is an interactive screen where I can attach documents, PDFs, and videos to create a more dynamic learning experience. The videos include follow-up questions that help reinforce what students have learnt. There are also digital tools that allow me to create interactive learning materials and games, which make lessons more engaging such as cahoot, which may not be new to most, among other tools,” Obale says.
After noticing a strong similarity between DELF (Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française) training and the new Ugandan secondary school curriculum, Obale says it is like hitting two birds with one stone.
“At Alliance Française, we expose students to a variety of materials, including audio recordings of native French speakers discussing everyday topics that match their level of understanding,” he says.
For reading comprehension, Obale guide students through texts that they analyse and respond to. When it comes to spoken expression, he assesses how well they can communicate in French. For beginners, this means working on simple interactions and gradually improving fluency. Writing exercises include emails, letters, and postcards on different themes, such as invitations (accepting or declining), or sharing personal experiences in French.
“What makes this approach so effective is that Delf preparation focuses on applying what students learn in real-life situations, which is exactly what the new curriculum aims for. Instead of just memorising grammar rules, students use French in practical ways,” he notes.
Overall, these methods have proven to be effective. He believes he has seen how they capture his students’ attention from the very first day and keep them motivated throughout their learning journey. By combining student-centred learning, real-world application, and technology, he is making French more practical and exciting for learners.
French out of classroom
DGayaza High School being the pioneer of Njogera Francais initiative, Sebugwawo believes her students have later put their Delf certification and skills to good work.
“Teacher, when are the DELF exams due?” her students always come asking.
She says once they obtain certification, they can use it anywhere—it opens doors in different fields.
She recalls that she once encouraged a student whose parents were relocating to the UK. With her DELF certificate, she competed against natives for a job and she aced it in first year at university.
Success stories
“Michelle Tinditiina, one of my former students who later pursued statistics is now fluent in French. Tinditiina secured her first job because of her French proficiency. The language has also given her international opportunities—she has travelled to France and built valuable professional connections, all because of what she learnt in school through Njogera Français competition,” Sebugwawo brags.
However, most of her learners are science students who are not allowed to combine science subjects with a language.
However, as soon as they complete their courses, many of them enroll in Delf programmes. Keeping track of those who did A1 and A2 in Njogera Français helps Sebugwawo to encourage them to progress to B1 and beyond, which helps them on the job market.
The educationist believes those who are not able to pursue French formally in higher education take private lessons at school to ensure their language skills do not decline.
Tinditiina’s French journey
Tinditiina , a data analyst and Sebugwawo’s former student, says learning French is one of the most fulfilling decisions she has ever made, especially after learning what her linguistic skills could do for her.
“I graduated last year and I chanced on a job as a data enumerator at IRC. We were dealing with refugees who were mostly from DR Congo, South Sudan and Rwanda. Some of the refugees that came from Burundi and Congo spoke French and I could communicate with them without a translator. I found that they felt more at ease speaking French as well,” Tinditiina says. Studying French as a mandatory subject at O-Level, she gradually fell in love with the language which made her pursue it at A-Level.
“I did Delf starting with A2 at AFK , then I went for B2, and I am now preparing for B2 finals. It has encouraged me to be more inquisitive about things such as cultural differences and expanding my knowledge about different things,” she explains.
She believes knowing French has also widened her job search and also applied for a French translator job and prays to nail it.
“This thought gives me pleasure knowing that I can apply for any job not limited by any language barriers as far as French and English are concerned,” Tinditiina shares. Meanwhile, Louise Bay, the cooperation attache for education and culture at the French embassy of Uganda, says some companies are partners with Alliance and offer French classes to their employees. This, she says, helps the employees in their day today activities with their French counterparts, all the while upgrading their CVs.
There are also scholarships for Ugandan students to go and study in France which in turn helps Ugandans when they return and use those skills back at home.
“We are also running a project on training Ugandan teachers how to teach French with better skills. We are training teachers in different regions who are charged with passing on skills learnt to their counterparts,” Bay says. Since French became one of the three official languages in the East African Community after English and Swahili, learning French helps facilitate relationships for business opportunities among other things with other countries such as Burundi, Rwanda and DR Congo.
Meanwhile, the best student with a perfect score this year was Precious Mukisa from Seeta High School offering Delf Junior and Aga Khan Primary School emerged as the best school in the competition.
The third edition of Njogera Francais schools programme award ceremony took place on March 7 at Alliance Francaise de Kampala.
WHO THEY ARE
Awardees
The best student with a perfect score this year was Precious Mukisa from Seeta High School offering Delf Junior , Joseph Obale, the winner of last year’s trip to France receives a gift on behalf of Ndejje Secondary School, Joseph Obale, the winner of last year’s trip to France, Peter Wasswa from Kisubi Seminary was the best in Delf B1 Aga Khan Primary School was the best school.
