The award ceremony for the National Network of Teachers spelling competition and French teachers (RENAPEF RDC) held at the French embassy in Kinshasa

François Pujolas, Ambassador of France in the DRC, Nefertiti Tshibanga, General Delegate for La Francophonie, Jean Bosco PUNA, President of the Association of Teachers of French, school directors, laureates and their parents

The award ceremony for the National Network of Teachers spelling competition and French teachers (RENAPEF RDC) was held at the French embassy in Kinshasa, this Friday March 26, 2021, in the presence of François Pujolas, Ambassador of France in the DRC, Nefertiti Tshibanga, General Delegate for La Francophonie, Jean Bosco PUNA, President of the Association of Teachers of French, school directors, laureates and their parents. 

This event marks the tenth edition of the competition which in 2020 mobilized 20 schools, i.e. 1,500 pupils in the preliminary phase for 200 pupils in the final phase. 

As a reminder, the competition tests took place from December 2019 to March 2020. The award ceremony initially scheduled for March 20 2020 to celebrate the World Day of La Francophonie has been postponed due to the pandemic of Covid-19. 

The French Ambassador to DRC, François Pujolas, holding a speech during the ceremony

The interest of young people in this exercise as part of a competition does not wane over time. 

The dictation of the Francophonie is the essential manifestation of the games and competitions organized in the part of the celebration of La Francophonie and contributes to the influence of the French language through the world. "France is happy to be able to help the DRC to regain its full place in the family French-speaking ", welcomed Ambassador François Pujolas. 

More broadly, the French diplomat has recalled the commitment of his country to the service of education in the DRC, through the construction of rooms class, payroll mechanization or teacher training. “French teachers have an eminent role to play, because mastery of the language is a condition of intellectual learning and later the ability to find a job. 

The French language also conveys values ​​that we all share, including respect for public freedoms and democracy ”, continued the French Ambassador. 

The French Embassy in the DRC will continue to support the association of French teachers in the organization of this competition through a partnership for the organization of the World Day of French teachers whose creation was announced by President Macron during his speech of March 20, 2018: " an ambition for the French language and plurilingualism". 

The 3th edition will have take place in November 2021.

Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Editor