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Ghana’s president wants to make French a formal language, but it’s not a popular plan

Ghana was one of the first British colonies in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve independence in 1957 and as such has had strong ties to the English language as a modern country for over a hundred years. Most Ghanaians who’ve been through some level of formal education learn to speak English alongside their regional language.

But since coming to office in 2017, Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo has been pushing for Ghanaians to also learn French and one day make it the country’s official second language.

To outsiders, the president might seem like an unlikely champion for Gallic influences; after all he is known for his unplaceable English accent; he descends from a Ghanaian political aristocracy with long ties to Britain and was partly educated in England from a young age.  

But Akufo-Addo also speaks French fluently, learned when he lived in Paris in the 1970s , and is always happy to flaunt his language skills given the chance. 

The president has announced plans to make French a compulsory subject for high school students and in a 2018 speech (given entirely in French), he told colleagues at La Francophonie Summit, “our goal is to live, one day, in a bilingual Ghana, that is English and French, together with our own indigenous languages.”

“The promotion of the French language is a major education priority,” foreign affairs minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchway said last month. French is expected to feature prominently when details of Ghana’s new basic school curriculum are announced in the coming weeks.

Akufo-Addo’s support for French comes as France’s president Emmanuel Macron is also making a soft power push to raise the status of French across Africa, starting with former French colonies.

“As France represents only a fraction of the active French speakers, the country knows the fate of French language is not its burden alone to carry,” Macron said in March 2018 as he launched a bold new ambition to increase the number of speakers of the language of Molière. That speech in Paris predated an earlier one in Burkina Faso where he pleaded with students not to ditch French for English and urged them to help make French “the number one language in Africa and maybe even the world.”

Thanks to Africa’s youth, French is now the fifth most-spoken language in the world and by 2050, 80% of the projected 700 million French speakers will be in Africa.

While there is no denying the push for French in Ghana has a lot to do with the president’s personal affinity for the language translating into national policy, there is a good case to be made for increasing the number of Ghanaians who can speak French.

All of Ghana’s immediate neighbors use French as their official language and in the wider Ecowas regional block, eight out of 15 member countries are Francophone. A “bilingual Ghana”, strategically positioned, could stand to benefit economically from ever closer ties with her neighbors.

But the president’s vision to get Ghanaians to speak French will prove a lot harder to achieve.

“Au revoir Mister”

For years, 14- and 15-year olds in Ghana have had to take a French language exam as part of a national exam that allows students to progress to high school. However, that has failed to translate into a sizable number of Ghanaians being able to string together coherent sentences beyond exchanging pleasantries.

In many schools, French is taught once a week; the last subject of the school day with at best 45 minutes of lesson time. By the government’s own admission, it does not have enough French teachers to implement the new proposals and it hopes to tap into the increased resources Macron promised. Also, the social currency that comes with English fluency remains a lot more desirable for Ghanaian parents.

Given the colonial history of most African countries, discussions around learning international languages can often be a sensitive topic. But in recent years, those discussions haven’t been about French but instead about Mandarin and China’s increasing economic and political influence. Countries including Kenya , Uganda and South Africa are all introducing Mandarin into their schools’ curriculum. 

Dying local languages

And while the Ghanaian public recognizes the usefulness of French proficiency, there is no public support for mandatory lessons in schools. Critics say, the new educational proposals privilege a foreign language over Ghana’s 50 local languages, some of which are dying. Linguists estimate at least a dozen Ghanaian languages have been lost over the past century and about a dozen more have less than 1,000 speakers, according to a 2012 study .

The study found that “a lot of the indigenous languages of Ghana are in danger and could even be lost in the next few generations” and “the language policy of the Ghana government [especially in education] is contributing to the loss of Ghanaian languages,” the authors say.

Almost a third of Ghana’s indigenous languages have less than 20,000 speakers and rapid urbanization also means these languages risk extinction.

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Write an essay in French

Beyond the fact that writing an essay in French can be a good practice to improve your writing, you may also be asked to write one during your schooling. So, it is important to study the topic of French essay writing and get some useful tips..

» Tips and tricks for your French essay » The structure of a French essay » Sample French Essay

Tips and tricks for your French essay

When writing a French essay for school, you should always use a structured approach and good French skills to present your arguments in a focused way. Beyond French skills, there are also important formal requirements for a successful French essay. We will come back to this in detail later. First, you will find some useful tips and tricks that will help you write more compelling and better French essays in the future.

• Have a clear thesis and structure
• Do sufficient research and use reliable sources
• Use examples and arguments to support your thesis
• Avoid plagiarism and cite correctly
• Always check structure, grammar and spelling

When you write your essay at school or university, you need to make sure that the general structure of your essay, the presentation of the arguments and, above all, your French language skills play a role in the mark you will get. This is why you should definitely take a closer look at the structure of an essay as well as the most important grammar rules and formulations for French essays.

The structure of a French essay

In an essay, you deal at length and in detail with a usually given topic. When you write an essay in French, you must follow a certain structure. Below we show you what this structure looks like and give you some tips for writing the most important parts of your essay.

The Introduction

The introduction prepares the main body of your essay. You think of a meaningful title for your essay, you describe your thesis or your question, you give general information on the subject and you prepare your argument by giving an overview of your most important arguments.

Below are examples and phrases that you can use to write the introduction to your essay in French.

The title should be meaningful, concise and reflect the content of the essay.

Introductory paragraph

The first paragraph of your French essay should briefly introduce the topic and engage the reader. Here are some examples to help you write your essay:

Proposal or question

The central proposition or question of your French essay should be a clear and concise definition of the purpose of the essay. Use these examples to get a clearer idea of ​​how to write theses in French:

Overview of Arguments and Structure

At the end of your introduction, describe the structure of the main part of your essay (your outline) and outline your argument. Here are some French expressions that will certainly help you write your essay:

The body of your essay

The main part of your French essay deals with the given topic in detail. The subject is studied from all angles. The main body of your essay follows a thread of argument and discusses in detail the main arguments of your thesis previously made in the introduction.

In the body of the text, you should discuss the subject of your essay in clear and concise language. To achieve this, we give you some wording aids as well as vocabulary and phrases that you can use to write your essay in French.

Formulation tools:

French vocabulary for essays.

In the conclusion of your French essay, you address the thesis of your essay, summarize the main points of your discussion in the main body, and draw a conclusion. On the basis of the arguments and the resulting conclusions, you formulate in the conclusion of your dissertation final thoughts and suggestions for the future. It is important that you do not add new information or new arguments. This should only be done in the body of your text.

Here are some wording guides to help you write your essay in French:

Sample French Essay

Les avantages des voyages linguistiques

Malgré les difficultés potentielles, les voyages linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour leur développement personnel et académique.

Les séjours linguistiques sont des voyages organisés dans le but d'améliorer les compétences linguistiques des participants. Ces voyages peuvent se dérouler dans le pays ou à l'étranger et durer d'un week-end à plusieurs semaines. L'un des principaux avantages des séjours linguistiques est l'immersion. Entourés de locuteurs natifs, les apprenants sont contraints de pratiquer et d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques dans des situations réelles.Il s'agit d'une méthode d'apprentissage beaucoup plus efficace que le simple fait d'étudier une langue dans une salle de classe.

Un autre avantage des séjours linguistiques est l'expérience culturelle. Voyager dans un nouveau pays permet aux apprenants de découvrir de nouvelles coutumes, traditions et modes de vie, et de se familiariser avec l'histoire et la culture du pays. Cela enrichit non seulement l'expérience d'apprentissage de la langue, mais contribue également à élargir les horizons et à accroître la sensibilisation culturelle.

Cependant, les séjours linguistiques peuvent également présenter des inconvénients. Par exemple, le coût du voyage et de l'hébergement peut être élevé, en particulier pour les séjours de longue durée. En outre, les apprenants peuvent être confrontés à la barrière de la langue ou à un choc culturel, ce qui peut être difficile à surmonter. Le coût et les difficultés potentielles des séjours linguistiques peuvent sembler décourageants, mais ils offrent des avantages précieux en termes d'épanouissement personnel et scolaire.

Les compétences linguistiques et les connaissances culturelles acquises peuvent déboucher sur de nouvelles opportunités d'emploi et améliorer la communication dans un cadre professionnel. Les bourses et les aides financières rendent les séjours linguistiques plus accessibles. Le fait d'être confronté à une barrière linguistique ou à un choc culturel peut également être l'occasion d'un développement personnel. Ces avantages l'emportent largement sur les inconvénients et font des séjours linguistiques un investissement qui en vaut la peine.

En conclusion, malgré les difficultés potentielles, les séjours linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour le développement personnel et académique. Qu'il s'agisse d'un débutant ou d'un apprenant avancé, un voyage linguistique est une expérience à ne pas manquer.

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How to Write an Essay in French

Have something to say?

When it comes to expressing your thoughts in French , there’s nothing better than the essay.

It is, after all, the favorite form of such famed French thinkers as Montaigne, Chateaubriand, Houellebecq and Simone de Beauvoir.

In this post, I’ve outlined the four most common types of essays in French, ranked from easiest to most difficult, to help you get to know this concept better. 

Why Are French Essays Different?

Must-have french phrases for writing essays, 4 types of french essays and how to write them, 1. text summary (synthèse de texte).

• 2. Text Commentary (Commentaire de texte)

3. Dialectic Dissertation (Thèse, Antithèse, Synthèse)

• 4. Progressive Dissertation (Plan progressif)

And one more thing...

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Writing an essay in French is not the same as those typical 5-paragraph essays you’ve probably written in English.

In fact, there’s a whole other logic that has to be used to ensure that your essay meets French format standards and structure. It’s not merely writing your ideas in another language .

And that’s because the French use Cartesian logic (also known as Cartesian doubt) , developed by René Descartes , which requires a writer to begin with what is known and then lead the reader through to the logical conclusion: a paragraph that contains the thesis. Through the essay, the writer will reject all that is not certain or all that is subjective in his or her quest to find the objective truth.

Sound intriguing? Read on for more!

Before we get to the four main types of essays, here are a few French phrases that will be especially helpful as you delve into essay-writing in French:

Introductory phrases , which help you present new ideas.

Connecting phrases , which help you connect ideas and sections.

Contrasting phrases , which help you juxtapose two ideas.

Concluding phrases , which help you to introduce your conclusion.

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The text summary or synthèse de texte  is one of the easiest French writing exercises to get a handle on. It essentially involves reading a text and then summarizing it in an established number of words, while repeating no phrases that are in the original text. No analysis is called for.

A  synthèse de texte  should follow the same format as the text that is being synthesized. The arguments should be presented in the same way, and no major element of the original text should be left out of the  synthèse.

Here is an informative post about writing a synthèse de texte , written for French speakers. 

The text summary is a great exercise for exploring the following French language elements:

• Synonyms , as you will need to find other words to describe what is said in the original text.
• Nominalization , which involves turning verbs into nouns and generally cuts down on word count.
• Vocabulary , as the knowledge of more exact terms will allow you to avoid periphrases and cut down on word count.

While beginners may wish to work with only one text, advanced learners can synthesize as many as three texts in one text summary. 

Since a text summary is simple in its essence, it’s a great writing exercise that can accompany you through your entire learning process.

2. Text Commentary  (Commentaire de texte)

A text commentary or commentaire de texte   is the first writing exercise where the student is asked to present an analysis of the materials at hand, not just a summary.

That said, a  commentaire  de texte  is not a reaction piece. It involves a very delicate balance of summary and opinion, the latter of which must be presented as impersonally as possible. This can be done either by using the third person (on) or the general first person plural (nous) . The singular first person (je) should never be used in a  commentaire de texte.

A commentaire de texte  should be written in three parts:

• An introduction , where the text is presented.
• An argument , where the text is analyzed.
• A conclusion , where the analysis is summarized and elevated.

Here is a handy in-depth guide to writing a successful commentaire de texte,  written for French speakers.

Unlike with the synthesis, you will not be able to address all elements of a text in a commentary. You should not summarize the text in a commentary, at least not for the sake of summarizing. Every element of the text that you speak about in your commentary must be analyzed.

To successfully analyze a text, you will need to brush up on your figurative language. Here are some great resources to get you started:

• Here’s an introduction to figurative language in French.
• This guide to figurative language  presents the different elements in useful categories.
• This guide , intended for high school students preparing for the BAC—the exam all French high school students take, which they’re required to pass to go to university—is great for seeing examples of how to integrate figurative language into your commentaries.
• Speaking of which, here’s an example of a corrected commentary from the BAC, which will help you not only include figurative language but get a head start on writing your own commentaries.

The French answer to the 5-paragraph essay is known as the  dissertation .  Like the American 5-paragraph essay, it has an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. The stream of logic, however, is distinct.

There are actually two kinds of  dissertation,  each of which has its own rules.

The first form of  dissertation  is the dialectic dissertation , better known as  thèse, antithèse, synthèse . In this form, there are actually only two body paragraphs. After the introduction, a thesis is posited. Following the thesis, its opposite, the antithesis, is explored (and hopefully, debunked). The final paragraph, what we know as the conclusion, is the  synthesis , which addresses the strengths of the thesis, the strengths and weaknesses of the antithesis, and concludes with the reasons why the original thesis is correct.

For example, imagine that the question was, “Are computers useful to the development of the human brain?” You could begin with a section showing the ways in which computers are useful for the progression of our common intelligence—doing long calculations, creating in-depth models, etc.

Then you would delve into the problems that computers pose to human intelligence, citing examples of the ways in which spelling proficiency has decreased since the invention of spell check, for example. Finally, you would synthesize this information and conclude that the “pro” outweighs the “con.”

The key to success with this format is developing an outline before writing. The thesis must be established, with examples, and the antithesis must be supported as well. When all of the information has been organized in the outline, the writing can begin, supported by the tools you have learned from your mastery of the synthesis and commentary.

Here are a few tools to help you get writing:

• Here’s a great guide to writing a dialectic dissertation .
• Here’s an example of a plan for a dialectic dissertation , showing you the three parts of the essay as well as things to consider when writing a dialectic dissertation.

4. Progressive Dissertation ( Plan progressif)

The progressive dissertation is slightly less common, but no less useful, than the first form.

The progressive form basically consists of examining an idea via multiple points of view—a sort of deepening of the understanding of the notion, starting with a superficial perspective and ending with a deep and profound analysis.

If the dialectic dissertation is like a scale, weighing pros and cons of an idea, the progressive dissertation is like peeling an onion, uncovering more and more layers as you get to the deeper crux of the idea.

Concretely, this means that you will generally follow this layout:

• A first, elementary exploration of the idea.
• A second, more philosophical exploration of the idea.
• A third, more transcendent exploration of the idea.

This format for the dissertation is more commonly used for essays that are written in response to a philosophical question, for example, “What is a person?” or “What is justice?”

Let’s say the question was, “What is war?” In the first part, you would explore dictionary definitions—a basic idea of war, i.e. an armed conflict between two parties, usually nations. You could give examples that back up this definition, and you could narrow down the definition of the subject as much as needed. For example, you might want to make mention that not all conflicts are wars, or you might want to explore whether the “War on Terror” is a war.

In the second part, you would explore a more philosophical look at the topic, using a definition that you provide. You first explain how you plan to analyze the subject, and then you do so. In French, this is known as  poser une problématique  (establishing a thesis question), and it usually is done by first writing out a question and then exploring it using examples: “Is war a reflection of the base predilection of humans for violence?”

In the third part, you will take a step back and explore this question from a distance, taking the time to construct a natural conclusion and answer for the question.

This form may not be as useful in as many cases as the first type of essay, but it’s a good form to learn, particularly for those interested in philosophy. Here’s an in-depth guide  to writing a progressive dissertation.

As you progress in French and become more and more comfortable with writing, try your hand at each of these types of writing exercises, and even with other forms of the dissertation . You’ll soon be a pro at everything from a synthèse de texte to a dissertation!

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Why English-Speaking Ghana May Adopt French as an Official Language

Ghana, one of the few English-speaking holdouts in Francophone-heavy West Africa, is suddenly talking about adopting French as an official language.

In 2017, Emmanuel Macron became the first French president to visit this former English colony in 60 years. At the time, Nana Akufo-Addo had been president of Ghana only a few months and had already signaled a fondness for the language of Molière by pushing for more French classes in his country’s educational system.

When Macron was in Accra, the capital, Nii Kotei-Nikoi, a Ghanaian Ph.D. student at the University of Massachusetts recalled, a French flag was hanging at the top of Ghana’s Independence Arc, a monument celebrating the country’s independence from its former colonizer, Britain.

“It’s just an example of how little critical thinking there is about our past colonial history with Europe and how the discourse is uncritical and unprogressive,” he told PassBlue in an interview. “How can a nation put a French flag over its Independence Arc?”

During Macron’s visit in 2017, he was greeted not only by this symbol but also with accolades by Ghana’s president, an openly Francophile fan. Yet Akufo-Addo was surprisingly blunt in speaking about his country’s “mind-set of dependence” on Western aid, causing a stir in Macron’s presence.

“Our concern should be what do we need to do in this 21st century to move Africa away from being cap in hand and begging for aid, for charity, for handouts,” he said as Macron fidgeted nearby.

The Ghanaian president speaks French fluently, having spent five years at the international law firm Coudert Brothers in Paris. Last year, he told colleagues at the International Organization of the Francophonie, or OIF, that his dream was to live in a bilingual Ghana.

Multilingual might be a more accurate word, unofficially speaking: along with English, about 15 percent of Ghana’s population also speaks Ashanti, 14 percent Ewe and 11.6 percent Fante. Seven other African languages are more common than French, which is spoken by fewer than one percent of Ghana’s 28.8 million inhabitants.

Signs nonetheless point to a Francophone future in Ghana’s political circle. Its foreign affairs minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, reiterated Akufo-Addo’s desire for a second official language in March, during a weeklong Francophonie festival in Accra. The president’s initial announcement took place a few months after Macron launched his plan to promote the teaching of French around the world in 2018, including spending millions of euros to support African countries wanting to expand French education.

France has also invested 2 million euros in “multilingualism,” teaching African traditional languages, although it is unclear if Ghana is part of the initiative. The French foreign ministry did not respond to requests for more information.

While France’s influence in Ghana’s decision is unclear, if it goes ahead with Akufo-Addo’s plan, that would signal a win for both the Élysée Palace and the OIF. Yet West Africa is still dominated by the continent’s most populous and most powerful country, Nigeria, which is English-speaking and a neighbor of Ghana. Liberia and Sierra Leone, other Anglophone nations, are also nearby.

Ghana has close economic ties to France: Ghana is the seventh recipient of French investments in Africa, and bilateral trade between the two countries totaled more than 500 million euros in 2017, or about $558 million.

Douglas Yates, an expert in Francafrique (France’s foreign policy in Africa) and a professor at the American Graduate School in Paris, thinks that some French diplomats may support the move.

“I don’t see any particular interest France could have in Ghana that the Ivory Coast or another West African country doesn’t have,” he said. From “a regional point of view, Ghana can use French to make regional connections — French would serve Ghana better than any other language.”

The push makes sense geopolitically speaking. The African continent now represents half of the world’s French-speaking population.  Although Macron has voiced support for increased independence among former French colonies in Africa, France’s cultural influence, also  referred  to as “soft power,” remains strong.

“If you want to reach out to France, appeal to them through culture,” Yates told PassBlue.

Economically, politicians say, Ghana would have much to gain by bonding with other Francophone countries, including Ivory Coast, Togo and Burkina Faso, which surround it on three sides. But locals aren’t quite sure. According to Nii Kotei-Nikoi, the Ph.D. student, it is sometimes easier for people in the region to do business in local languages, which many countries often share.

For example, Ewe is also widely spoken in Togo, and Ashanti languages are also spoken in Ivory Coast. Even in countries where French is the official language, Kotei-Nikoi noted that local languages tended to be widely spoken, mostly by people who are not part of the “elite,” he said. Finding a balance between teaching local and foreign languages seems difficult to achieve, but Ghana seems more inclined to invest in teaching French than teaching indigenous languages.

“Many indicators are positive: There’s political will, there’s a need and a positive answer,” Alexandre Wolff, director of the French Language Observatory at the OIF, told PassBlue. “That is most clearly understood by Ghana’s geographical situation. The regional economic union is rising and Ghana has every interest to become Francophone.”

Yet some people in Ghana say that making French an official language will ignore the nation’s deep ties to African culture and indigenous languages.

A Ghanaian rapper, Okyeame Kwame, denounced the foreign minister’s announcement in March, saying in a tweet: “French as a second language is disrespectful to our pride and culture, it is bad enough that our first language is another person’s language. What is wrong with making one of our local languages our first language?”

Kotei-Nikoi echoes this idea: “I don’t like the hierarchy of colonial languages in Ghana,” he said. “Why not promote the teaching of our local languages, that are underfunded, along the ones of French and English?”

While Wolff notes that French classes tailored for hotel, restaurant and business workers could be an economic boost, Akufo-Addo’s vision of children reading both Shakespeare and Victor Hugo is easier voiced than attained. Ghana does not have enough French-speaking instructors to serve more than a handful of private students.

“Most students who learn French do it through private schools or the Alliance Française,” Wolff said.

May 5, 2021 at 3:51 pm

I am very pleased to read this publication. I have always believed that Ghana would benefit tremendously at different levels, from teaching French as second language in the education system.

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The Essay in French

The course enhances the student’s knowledge and skills in essay writing acquired during the last three years (Level 100 – 300) by giving him the scope for unguided self-expression

in more complex situations and on more demanding topics/subjects. It also studies some works of some of the great masters of the art of the essay with a view to encouraging students

to develop a sure, mature and personal style of writing.

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Journal of french and francophone studies.

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA DEPARTMENT OF FRENCH

CALL FOR PAPERS Journal of French and Francophone Studies (JOFFS) Editor: Abdoulaye Imorou

The Journal of French and Francophone Studies (JOFFS) , founded by the Department of French, at the University of Ghana, is an annual, bilingual, peer-reviewed, open access academic journal.  JOFFS welcomes up-to-date research from the following scientific domains: i. Didactics of French as a second/foreign language ii. French linguistics iii. Francophone literatures iv. French literature v. Media arts, films and cartoons in French vi. Communication Studies in French vii. Translation Studies  viii. Interpretation Studies

All submissions to Journal of French and Francophone Studies will be subjected to a rigorous evaluation process which includes initial assessment by the editorial team, a double-blind peer review, and plagiarism checks. This periodical will accept only unpublished and original manuscripts of very high quality and will reject any manuscript that is already under review or has been issued by another publication outlet. JOFFS also welcomes reviews of outstanding books and films on French and Francophone studies as well as interviews with stellar writers and members of the scientific community. Contributors must respect the following limits: i. article: between 4000 and 8000 words ii. review: 1000 and 2000 words iii. interview: 1500 and 5000 words

Kindly submit your contribution online by registering on the website Nature of publication: Gratis Open Access (OA) journal Website: https://journals.ug.edu.gh/index.php/jffs/about   Frequency of publication: Annual Date of first publication: December 2022 Languages: English and French Publication charges: Nil

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Essay on Ghana

Students are often asked to write an essay on Ghana in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Ghana

Introduction to ghana.

Ghana is a country in West Africa. It is known for its rich history and is the first African country to get freedom from European rule. Its capital city is Accra.

Geography and Climate

Ghana has beaches, jungles, and savannas. It is hot and has two seasons: rainy and dry. The Volta River is a big river in Ghana.

Culture and People

Ghana has many groups of people with different languages and traditions. Music and dance are important, and so is the colorful clothing called kente.

Ghana’s money comes from cocoa, gold, and oil. Farming is also a job for many people. The country is working to grow more.

Education and Landmarks

Schools are important in Ghana. The Cape Coast Castle is a place many visit to learn about history. It reminds people of the past and freedom.

250 Words Essay on Ghana

About ghana.

Ghana is a country in West Africa. It is known for its colorful culture, ancient history, and diverse wildlife. The country is on the coast, which means it has beautiful beaches. The capital city is Accra, which is very busy and full of life.

A long time ago, Ghana was home to powerful kingdoms. The most famous one was the Ashanti kingdom. Many years later, European countries came to Ghana to trade. They were interested in gold and other valuable things. Ghana was a British colony but became free in 1957. It was the first African country to gain independence from European rule.

People and Culture

Ghana has many different groups of people, each with its own language and traditions. Music and dance are very important in Ghanaian culture. The people are known for being friendly and welcoming to visitors. They love to celebrate festivals and share their traditions with others.

Ghana has rainforests, savannas, and rivers. These places are home to many animals like elephants, monkeys, and lions. There are also lots of different birds and insects. People go to national parks to see these animals and enjoy nature.

The country has resources like gold, cocoa, and oil. These are sold to other countries, which helps Ghana’s economy to grow. Many people in Ghana also farm and sell their crops in markets. Tourism is becoming more important too, as people come to see Ghana’s beautiful places and learn about its history.

In conclusion, Ghana is a country with a rich history, vibrant culture, and beautiful nature. It is a place where the past and present come together, and visitors can experience the warmth of its people and the beauty of its landscapes.

500 Words Essay on Ghana

Ghana is a country located on the west coast of Africa. It is known for its rich history, diverse culture, and natural beauty. The country is bordered by Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Ghana was the first African country to gain independence from colonial rule in 1957, led by Kwame Nkrumah, a very important leader.

Ghana has many different landscapes, including beaches, forests, and savannas. The weather is mostly warm all year round, with two main seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season brings a lot of rain, which helps the plants grow, while the dry season is very hot and has little rain.

Ghana is home to many different groups of people, each with their own languages and traditions. English is the official language, but languages like Twi, Ga, Ewe, and Hausa are also widely spoken. Ghanaians are known for their friendliness and hospitality. Music and dance are very important in Ghanaian culture, with traditional drums and dances being a big part of celebrations and festivals.

Food in Ghana is full of flavor and often includes starchy items like yams, cassava, and plantains. One popular dish is jollof rice, which is spicy rice cooked with tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Ghanaians also enjoy soups and stews with fish, meat, or vegetables, often eaten with fufu, a doughy food made from boiled and mashed cassava or plantains.

Wildlife and Environment

Ghana has many national parks and wildlife reserves where you can see animals like elephants, monkeys, and lions. The country is also working to protect its environment and the many different types of plants and animals that live there.

Ghana’s economy is growing and is known for its production of gold, cocoa, and oil. Cocoa is especially important as Ghana is one of the world’s largest producers, and it is used to make chocolate. Many people in Ghana also work in farming, growing food for their families and to sell.

Education in Ghana is a big focus, with the government working to make sure that all children can go to school. Schools teach subjects like math, science, and English, and there are also universities where students can continue their studies in many different areas.

Like many countries, Ghana faces challenges. Some people in Ghana do not have as much money and may struggle to get things like clean water, good healthcare, and education. The government and many organizations are working to help solve these problems so that all Ghanaians can have a better life.

Ghana is a country with a lot to offer, from its warm-hearted people to its beautiful landscapes and rich culture. It is a place where the past and the present come together, and it continues to work towards a bright future.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Ghost
• Essay on Gig Economy
• Essay on Giving And Sharing

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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LEARNING FRENCH

There are 300 million Francophones around the world. Learning the language can open a great number of new cultural and professional horizons for you. Use your stay in France to learn French.

Why learn French?

It will always be useful to know how to speak and write French, even after you leave France. 300 million people speak French around the world, and in nearly 30 countries, French is an official language, either by law or in practice.

French is also the language of diplomacy: it is one of the work and official languages of the UN and many international organizations such as the European Union and the Red Cross.

In France, there are over 1,500 higher education programmes in English. So you don't have to learn French to complete your studies in France and obtain a degree. Nonetheless, even if you are taking courses which are taught in English, you will still be living in France. Speaking French, at least to some extent, enables you to more easily integrate your community and to enjoy your stay even more.

How to learn French in GHANA

In Ghana, the best place to learn French and embrace its culture is at Alliance Française

In Ghana, there are 5 A Alliance Française throughout the country :

You can also learn French online!

• To become familiar with French and the French culture, watch TV5 Monde , the international Francophone channel. On the Apprendre platform , it offers interactive exercises adapted to all levels of French learners.  
• RFI Savoirs , the Francophone radio station, has exercises, informative dossiers and shows to help you learn and teach French.  
• The Association Française pour la Formation des Adultes (French Association for Adult Learning) offers MOOC (Massive Online Open Courses), in particular on French as a Foreign Language (FLE) to teach beginners the basics.  
• There are many Alliances Françaises that offer online French classes. Check the Alliance site for more information.

étudiants en cours de français How to learn French in France

You can learn French in a large number of training centres in France . Adapted to beginners and also to those with a  highe level, for a short or long  duration, you will find the class best-suited to you.  

To ensure you learn French in the right conditions, we suggest the centres labelled "qualité FLE" (FFL quality). This certification for French training centres is a guarantee of quality linguistic training. You will find the list of these centres on the catalogue of short programmes and summer schools published by Campus France .  

For more information on this subject, download the mobile application Immersion France which has all the information you will need for to learn French in France.

French language tests and certificates

There are several French tests and certificates to prove your level of French. They may sometimes be required when you enrol in an institute of higher education.  

• The TCF ( Test de Connaissance du Français Test of Knowledge of French) is the official test of the Ministry of National Education. Designed by the Centre International d’Etudes Pédagogiques (CIEP the International Centre For Studies in Education), some tests may be taken online and by correspondence in certain countries. The TCF scores are valid for two years.  
• The TEF ( Test d'Evaluation du français French Assessment) is an international reference created and distributed by the CCI of Paris Ilede-France. It assesses the level of knowledge and skill in French on a scale of 0 to 7. It is available in an electronic version, and the result is immediate. You can sit the TEF as many times as you like.  
• The DELF and the DALF ( Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française (French Language Study Diploma) and the Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française (Further French Language Diploma)) are official diplomas awarded by the Ministry of National Education. They incorporate six independent diplomas that certify to the holder's ability in the four areas of language competence. They are valid indefinitely. Unlike the tests, the DELF and DALF are acquired for life.

Sur le même sujet

• Campus France catalog for short programs (language courses and summer programs) http://ecolesdete.campusfrance.org/#/main

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HOW TO WRITE THE NEW FRENCH LESSON PLAN

In this blog post, THE FRENCH MASTER GH will help you get the insight into writing a comprehensive lesson plan on the various topics in the newly introduced French Curriculum for Ghanaian Basic Schools. A sample detailed lesson plan on the topic << Donner et demander l’heure >> is provided for free download.

• In simple terms, a lesson plan is the chronological order in which the teacher intends to implement his teaching and learning activities, methods and strategies in order to achieve pre-determined objectives. The new curriculum requires that a topic should be taught twice with the first session focusing on receptive skills (Compréhension Orale (CO), Expression Orale (EO)) and the second session focusing on productive skills (Compréhension Ecrite (CE) and Expression Ecrite (EE)). At the Upper Primary School level (B4-B6), French is given 2 periods per week for each class.

The new lesson plan format is organized into:

• CONTENT STANDARDS ( Compétences ): These are the skills the learners are to develop in relation to the topic at the end of the French class. There are four (4) skills a French teacher must nurture in his or her learners by the end of a topic. These are: Compréhension Orale (CO), Expression Orale (EO), Compréhension Ecrite (CE) and Expression Ecrite (EE).
• INDICATORS: These are the set objectives that the teacher wants to achieve by the end of the lesson which must reflect in the learners’ ability to perform particular tasks. It contains the Curriculum Reference Number (CRN). For example: (B4.1.1.1.1) – Ecouter, regarder et comprendre des documents audio-visuels parlant de la salutation et comment prendre congé. (B4.1.1.1.1) means Basic 4 Strand 1 Sub-strand 1 Content Standard 1 Indicator 1 ( click here to watch a video on how to teach the new French Curriculum ).
• PERFORMANCE INDICATOR: It states the main objective of the lesson. For example: L’apprenant sera capable de saluer en français.
• CORE COMPETENCIES: They describe a body of skills that teachers at all levels should seek to develop in their learners. For example: Communication, cultural identity and global citizenship, personal development and leadership.
• KEYWORDS : They include the key and important words in the content or topic to be taught. For exemple : Bonjour, bonsoir, comment ça va?, ça va bien, au revoir, à bientôt.
• LEARNING ACTIVITIES: There are three (3) phases in this part of the lesson plan.
• Phase 1: Preparing the brain for learning: here, you are to introduce the lesson to the learners through a song, a poem in order to psychologically prepare their minds towards the lesson. For example: L’enseignant fait écouter aux apprenants un audio ou une vidéo sur les salutations et les guide à chanter.
• Phase 2: New learning including assessment: at this stage the teacher is supposed to list learning activities chronologically and at the end assess the learners. Example: L’enseignant encourage les apprenants à se saluer et à saluer les autres dans la communauté en français.
• Phase 3 : Plenary and reflection : here the teacher assigns external tasks to learners and urges them to reflect on the what they learnt.
• RESOURCES: these are the teaching and learning materials or resources you used in your lesson delivery.

You are welcome to the end of this lesson. If you are able to read this lesson up to this stage, clap for yourself and take a coffee for free. Merci. Click on the button below to subscribe to my YouTube channel and then proceed to download well prepared, professional and detailed French lesson plans for GHS 30 (B4-B6 or B7-B9). Terms 1, 2 and 3 are all available . Click here to purchase them.

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