The Ministry of Education, Human Resource and Development on Friday re-signed an educational co-operation agreement with the Academy of Martinique.
The agreement, for three years, serves to “solidify” the already amicable relationship between the French departments of Dominican schools and the Academy of Martinique.
The Rector of the Academy of Martinique, Catherine Bertho Laveniron said the agreement, first signed in 2012, facilitates activities such as foreign language learning, student exchange programs, and teacher training.
“The reason why the Ministry for Education of Dominica and the Academy of Martinique want to renew this convention is because this convention is alive and could be stronger,” she stated, at a signing ceremony held at the Alliance Francaise. “Therefore, in such a favourable context, due to geographical and cultural proximity, it’s essential that we continue and intensify our convergence, especially in the fields of language, exchange programs and teacher training.”
Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Petter Saint Jean, said that it is necessary to expose Dominican students to French, especially now that Martinique has become a part of the OECS.
“We are making new territories, we are moving into areas that were, before, untouched. Therefore, it is imperative that our Dominican students be exposed to the French language, just as the Martiniquan students are introduced at a very early stage to the English language,” he noted. “I believe that the time has come when not only should we seek to break territorial borders or boundaries, but we should also on a relational level, break the barriers that exist.”
He explained that the agreement would not only enable student exchanges but afford teachers the opportunity to experience the exchanges as well.
“This agreement affords us the opportunity to…arrange exchanges, not only for students, but also for teachers, so that Martiniquan teachers will have the opportunity of coming here into Dominica, actually teaching at our schools, and so, our Dominican teachers will be able to get into the Martiniquan schools, and teach at various levels,” Saint Jean said.
In 2013, about 130 students from Martinique secondary schools visited Dominica and in 2014, Martinique hosted two students of the Dominica State College (DSC) and their teachers to participate in a simulation of a UN general assembly.
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I will never say that this is a bad thing ,it is good but ,there are so many people in dominica especially roseau who cannot talk creole /patois and some refuse to speak the creole /patois language what are you all doing about it…are we ready to buy our mother in law and sell our mother? it is a shame where i can see that i am living among people who are not from dominica ,whites who can speak creole/patois because i teach them to and back in dominica, dominican cannot speak their own language..get a grip…
It should be compulsory for all Dominican Students to learn French from Kindergarten to Fifth Form
Interesting article… Was long awaiting this activity… Since our students spirit have been daunted over the years by the fact that there was no more exchange programs going on.. Why learn a language when the opportunities are slim? For example students learn Spanish because they can go to Cuba to study as there are available scholarships ..
Not true. Find out from the Ministry of Education. The Government of Canada offers ten (10) FULL scholarships yearly to Dominica as a Francophone nation through CIDA. France offers training and FULL scholarships to a number of Dominicans yearly. Question is really if our people have access from the local level. The students who benefit are funded monthly by the French/Canadian Government. Your money is in the bank the 25th of every month.
sounds good but d ratio I have d problem with we 130 to 4
Great. That is what I have been saying all along. To teach and learn the language, teachers as well as students must be immersed in the culture and the language. They must spend time in the country in order to do that and be be successful?