The bad news for the French language is that young Moroccans love English

According to a report entitled “Switch to English in Morocco”, its release coincided with International English Language Day, with the British Council reporting that the vast majority of young Moroccans between the ages of 15 and 25 have expressed their appetite for English.

“Two-thirds of young Moroccans believe that in the next 5 years, English will succeed in making French the first foreign language in Morocco,” said the same source, with 74% of them thinking that English would benefit Morocco’s ambitions as an international business and tourism hub.

In addition, 82% consider English as a language and 65% consider English to be the most important language. The study shows that 62% consider Arabic as an important language, while 47% consider French to be an important language.

“English is the language of the future,” said one of the interviewees. “Everyone is coming towards the English language because of the dominance of the internet,” said another.

At the same time, the British Council believes that English seems to be advancing more and more as young people today recognize its value and importance in today’s world.

When asked about the most important languages ​​to learn, 40% of those polled indicated their preference for English, while only 10% indicated French.

It is considered that learning English is slightly more important than Arabic (65% of respondents and 62%, respectively), the study notes, suggesting that young people are more likely to recommend learning English. English instead of Arabic or French. They see English not only as an international language, but also as a science, business, internet and the language of the future.

Citing the report, Tony Reilly, National Director of the British Council of Morocco, noted that “Morocco is a country rich in culture and multilingual history, rich and diverse” and “this must not change, will not change.” “Multilingualism is a great asset in a world that is increasingly interconnected. However, this study underscores the clear recognition expressed by the new generation of Moroccans, which underscores the growing importance of English as an international language, ”he argued.

The British Council, Mr Reilly added, would continue to support the Ministry of Education’s efforts in major English learning in Morocco, but also provide opportunities for young people to learn English through face-to-face and online teaching programs.

English-speaking Moroccans have higher income levels and, in addition, are younger and more educated. Online sites and applications have become the main tools for learning English.

Although English is popular in all socio-economic strata, the study found that those who speak the language better are younger, better educated and have higher incomes. Schools, movies and TV series are the main sites for young Moroccans to learn English, with a growing interest in learning through the Internet, language applications and private language institutions.

Morocco’s “Netflix generation” uses English online, but the media also noted that the Corona virus (Govit-19) novel has opened up new possibilities for learning English. Young Moroccans like to follow the news in English.

Thanks to the Internet, English is gaining prominence every day, but the same source, in addition to movies, music and television series and other media, believes the three main sites for learning English are school (37%), movies / TV series (25%) and finally the Internet (17%). %).

Many people learn English on social media sites. Covid-19 has provided young Moroccans with the opportunity to improve their English through online social interactions, but movies and educational sites – Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Netflix – are one of the most popular channels. English is often important to keep abreast of the latest world events.

“Since we are locked up, I found a lot of great programs in English and set myself the goal of improving my English before the health activities were over,” one of the interviewers noted.

For young Moroccans, the dominant language is Arabic, which is spoken and understood with the highest proficiency by the 69% of young people questioned as part of this survey. French and English are at 34% and 30% respectively, with English gaining more space each day.

Most participants believe that French and English are now beginning to have an equal impact on their daily lives, the British Council notes.

Young Moroccans hope that in the next five years English will be able to translate well into French and thus become the first foreign language in Morocco. Young people are very favorable to translate French from English. Even better, they see this alternative as benefiting them and the country as a whole.

In addition, 85% expect the number of English-speaking young Moroccans to increase exponentially over the next ten years, while 57% expect this number to increase drastically, to just 23% in favor of the French.

English is synonymous with the future of young Moroccans. The majority (85%) of those surveyed expect the use of English to increase in the coming years, and 83% believe that English will provide them with access to the best quality education. Internationally recognized and internationally recognized Tourism in Morocco, but also helps them further to find or study work abroad. For their part, 79% believe that if English becomes Morocco’s second major language, it will further support the country’s ambitions to become an international business hub and the gateway to Africa.

The British Council is the UK body for educational and cultural relations. It builds bonds, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through art, culture, education and the English language. MAPB 000000