French Language in the Nigerian Educational Policy: Evaluation of the Implementation of French Language Curriculum in Junior Secondary Schools

Abstract

The study evaluated the implementation of the French Language Curriculum in Junior Secondary Schools in South West Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to find out the extent of the coverage of the French Language Curriculum and determine the aspects that need modification. It examined how the objectives of teaching the French Language could be achieved. Furthermore, the study looked into the problems militating against the implementation of the French Language Curriculum.  The work is descriptive research of a survey type. The population consisted of all the French teachers and students of the French language in the Junior Secondary Schools. The sample consisted of 2000 students and 200 teachers. Four states from South West Nigeria were purposively selected for the study. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 50 schools in each of the selected states.  Simple random sampling was used to select 100 students in each of the schools selected. 200 teachers were selected from four states. Two instruments, the Teachers’ Questionnaire on the Implementation of French Language Curriculum (TQIFLC) and Questionnaire on Students' Attitude towards Learning French Language (QSATLFL), as well as an inventory, were used to collect data from the sampled schools. The findings revealed that there was the availability of French Language Curriculum handbooks in most of the schools offering French Language. There were inadequacies of human and material resources for the implementation of the French Language Curriculum. It was revealed that the performance of students collected through the inventory was very poor. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the school administrators in collaboration with the Government should provide essential instructional and infrastructural resources for the schools. Competent and qualified French Language teachers should be employed and used for the implementation of the French Language Curriculum. The learning environment should be conducive and the instructional materials should be provided in compliance with the recommended standard so as to enhance the implementation of the French Language Curriculum. French teachers should have a positive attitude towards the teaching and learning of the French language and there should be regular evaluation of the implementation of the French language curriculum by the Government and Evaluators.