The teachers, coming from 15 different countries across Africa and beyond, will spend the year supporting local efforts to improve French language instruction, particularly in Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs).

Speaking at the welcome ceremony, Minister Nsengimana highlighted the programme’s impact on promoting multilingual education and strengthening the quality of French teaching nationwide.

“The Projet de mobilité des enseignantes et enseignants de et en Français au Rwanda has become a cornerstone of our efforts to promote multilingualism and raise the quality of French language instruction. Through this collaboration with OIF, our schools have gained skilled educators, and our teachers and students have developed renewed enthusiasm and confidence in using the French language,” he said.

Dr. Rennie Yotova, OIF’s Director of French Language Teaching and Promotion, praised the programme’s results, noting that it has positively influenced both teachers and students in Rwanda. She also highlighted the advantage of Rwanda’s four official languages in fostering youth development and regional opportunities.

The new volunteers, many visiting Rwanda for the first time, expressed admiration for the country’s cleanliness, safety, and the warmth of its people. Pelphide Tokpo from Benin remarked, “Everything I had heard about Rwanda was true it is a country that is developing with determination, and Kigali is clean and its people respectful.” Anne Vergnes Lepogam from France also highlighted the welcoming environment and the high standards of hygiene.

Since its launch in Rwanda in 2020, the OIF programme has also extended to countries like Ghana and Seychelles, providing a platform for qualified French-speaking educators to enhance teaching and learning across member states.