Algeria forces Francophone schools to adopt Arabic curriculum but says all languages are welcome

ALGIERS, Algeria — Amid broad debate about French language’s place in France’s former African colonies, Algeria is denying that efforts to force Francophone private schools to adopt the country’s national curriculum constitute hostility toward French. This year, Algeria is expanding English language courses in elementary schools and doubling down on efforts to enforce a law requiring that private schools — including ones that have taught almost exclusively in French — abide by the predominantly Arabic national curriculum. Belabed said the law’s critics were describing the country’s efforts without context and reaffirmed Algeria’s position that private schools had to teach the national curriculum, which he called a “vehicle for our societies identifying values.” Though French remains widely used in Algeria, the language has been subject to political questions since the country wrested its independence from France after a brutal, seven-year war more than 60 years ago. The effort to crack down on French and private schools teaching outside the nationally mandated curriculum comes as Algeria adds English language courses in elementary schools.