AA/Tunisia
The diplomatic gap between Niger and France continues to widen. The latest development is the closure of the French high school “La Fontaine” in Niamey, according to French and Nigerian media.
“The French high school La Fontaine in Niamey, a 60-year-old institution, will be nothing more than a memory from the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year,” AES info (media dedicated to information about the Alliance. Sahel States) announced.
“After 60 years of existence, Lycée Français La Fontaine in Niamey is preparing to close its doors for good at the beginning of the next academic year. This decision, although difficult, marks a historic turning point for national education in Nigeria, paving the way for new opportunities and a more autonomous and independent education system,” the same media said in a publication published on X.
“The government’s objective is clear: to offer all Nigerian students, regardless of their social or financial background, quality education of international standards. This requires the development of a more inclusive and effective education system that can prepare tomorrow’s citizens and meet the needs of the national labor market,” the same source said.
Before the 2023 coup in Niger, more than 800 students were enrolled in French schools. As of the start of the school year in September, media reports say about a quarter of the workforce remains behind distance learning.
After last July’s coup in Niger, France suspended development aid and military cooperation with the country and expressed support for a military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore constitutional order.
The military authorities, which have ruled the country since that date, denounced all military cooperation agreements with France, expelled the French ambassador and clearly indicated their desire to restore national integrity and remove all forms of foreign supervision.
Source: AA
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