Manama: Bahrain's education ministry is to introduce French courses in five more middle schools.
The decision will take the number of middle schools offering French courses in the next academic year to 15, Abdullah Al Mutawa, the ministry undersecretary for education and curricula, said.
Arabic is the main and official language in Bahrain, and English has been almost exclusively the second language in all schools.
However, the French language has been gaining grounds at high and middle schools and at the University of Bahrain, while its status in private learning institutions has also received a boost.
"We have been offered a series of books and learning tools by the French embassy," Al Mutawa said. "They will be given to the schools where French is being taught under the friendship and cooperation agreement we have with the French embassy."
The education ministry is also using l'ecole francaise, the French School in Muharraq, Bahrain's second largest city, as a learning environment that offers real life simulation practices, Al Mutawa said.
France is holding next month a French week that will feature several aspects of the French culture.
