“This is an attack on multilingualism” – Liberation

The game is over For compulsory English examination in higher education. His Results Revealed Wednesday, the state council revoked the compulsory language certification on licenses, DUT (replaced by university undergraduate technology, but at the beginning of the 2021 school year) and BTS. Until then, it would not be possible to offer a diploma to higher education students without this prestigious test created by an external organization such as TOIC or TOFL. This is regardless of the initial content of their training and their outcome at the end of the exam. A Order He formalized the move by the former Minister of Higher Education dated April 3, 2020 Frederick Vidal. This was condemned by linguistics and student associations. Fifteen of them appealed to the State Council in September 2020.

The highest French executive court agreed with them and found it “Condition to release [ces] National Diplomas […] Issuance of an English language certificate from an institution outside the accredited institution is inconsistent with the Education Code. Nearby விடுதலை, Lena Polier, President of the National Federation of Student Linguist Associations (Fnael), expressed her relief and presented ideas for better language learning in France.

How did your federation and the other appeals associations accept the State Council’s decision to revoke this certificate?

We are very happy. After our hearing with the State Council on May 25, we had already made some assurances that this repeal would pass, but before that, we did not believe it. It is now hoped that the same decision will be made for professional licenses. It was a success for the students because they did not know which certificate to get, when and where to buy the diploma and it was a huge mental burden for them … but that too was a success. The administration of universities, because the government has completely withdrawn from setting up certificates in France. It happened overnight for a year.

With this certification, your impression is that English occupies an important place compared to other languages ​​…

It is an attack on multilingualism to make it compulsory to cross only English, without allowing for other languages. We have Spanish graduate students who could not even send a certificate in their language which was of very little interest to them. In particular the result of this experiment is not a bar. It is enough to have a paper certifying that we went for the exam, but nothing has changed since it was A1 or C1 level. The government did not offer additional courses to help us learn English. At the academic level, it was very incomplete.

Then again, we cannot deny that English has a specific usage. When you think of international and Erasmus students coming to France, it is very practical for them. But it is important not to forget other languages, I especially think about regional languages ​​and sign language.

Who funded these certificates issued by companies outside the University?

In its finance bill for 2022, the government provided $ 7.3 million for these certifications. Universities charge 30 euros per student. In fact, the prices of the certificate, especially personal ones, hover around 100 euros, which is clearly not enough. I don’t know if any students want to progress [la différence] But I would not be surprised to see the uncertainty and ambiguity surrounding the order. Universities are sure to be roasted. We ask that they be compensated as soon as possible.

The government has, in essence, concluded a 2021 contract with Peoplesert in 2020, a certification body that we are not well aware of. Except the company quit a year later. So beyond the money, the universities also had to defend themselves, having to pick the certificate themselves and keep it.

Imposing on Peoplesert, Toik or Tofly College: What’s the problem?

For us, it has opened the door to the private sector in our universities and public institutions. We do not normally see our swords being conditioned by obtaining certification from a private company. We are lucky to have an almost free university in France and this is not the time to add to the costs.

What are your ways to improve the language and improve learning in school?

Universities can already better promote their regional languages. For example, I think about bilingual symptoms. It’s fun, but it’s already a great endeavor. Then, as the number of hours increases, actual access to different languages ​​should be allowed. In higher education, when you are not proficient in one language, you have only one choice: English. And courses are not always tailored to the level of the student, but how you really learn and excel. Here’s the question of budget: you need money to do small classes, but above all to hire new teachers.