Vanuatu celebrates International Francophonie Day, strengthens ties with OIF

Vanuatu celebrated International Day of La Francophonie yesterday with a small press conference at the Alliance Française in Dumbea Hall, Port Vila. The Director General of the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) attended the event. The event aimed to highlight Vanuatu's efforts in promoting the French language and fostering regional cultural exchange.

Bergmans Iati, Director General of the Ministry of Education and Training, stated that Vanuatu has been actively committed to promoting French, education, and cultural exchange in the region since joining the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) in 1979. Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos are also member states of the OIF in the Asia-Pacific region. Vanuatu has also recently taken a significant diplomatic step by requesting that New Caledonia become an observer within the Francophonie organization to strengthen regional cooperation.

The Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), based in Vanuatu, continues to support students studying abroad, while also advancing French education, higher education, and scientific research. "The Ministry of Education and Training has been actively working to expand academic opportunities," said Director General Iati. Recently, Vanuatu reached an agreement with seven universities in Vietnam, allowing Vanuatu students to pursue courses in fields such as science and technology, agriculture, and food science.

To further strengthen ties with the Francophone community, a delegation led by the Prime Minister of Vanuatu, along with representatives from the Ministry of Education, participated in the Francophonie regional summit held in France last October, where they discussed training opportunities and educational cooperation. Following the summit, Vanuatu will be one of four selected countries to pilot a project assessing the country's level of French proficiency. This initiative will be overseen by the Ministry of Education of Quebec. "They selected Vanuatu to participate in this study," said Director General Iati, expressing optimism about the potential benefits of the project for local schools.

Furthermore, Vanuatu has requested expert support in curriculum development for French schools and has negotiated capacity-building initiatives for French teachers. The Director General emphasized that these efforts will strengthen French education in Vanuatu and looks forward to seeing how the survey project can help schools improve their French language proficiency.