Oman cancels compulsory French and German classes, introduces Chinese language

Dubai: Oman’s Ministry of Education has issued a new ministerial decision abolishing the 13-year-long compulsory teaching of French and German.

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The move, announced through Ministerial Decision No. 192/2024, aligns with the Ministry’s goal to broaden foreign language education by introducing new languages, including Chinese.

The decision cancels previous Ministerial Decisions No. 389/2011 and 129/2022, which established the committee responsible for implementing and overseeing French and German language programs. The tasks and responsibilities of this committee will now be managed by the newly established Foreign Language Curriculum Department within the Department of Humanities Curriculum Development.

Despite the cancellation of compulsory French and German, the Ministry confirmed that these languages will continue to be offered as elective subjects for students in grades 11 and 12 in schools located in the governorates of Muscat, North Batinah, and South Batinah.