education 4 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Ugandan Educator Launches Online Platform to Boost French Proficiency
Veteran French teacher Michael Kushemererwa created an interactive website during the Covid-19 lockdown to teach reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, helping students earn DELF certifications and secure scholarships or jobs. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/education/harnessing-technology-to-build-french-speakers-5446456
Michael Kushemererwa, a French language specialist with degrees from Kyambogo and Makerere Universities, began his teaching career at Naalya Secondary School in the early 2000s. After international training in Zimbabwe, Germany, and Hong Kong, he refined his methods for DELF preparation, an official certification from France’s Ministry of Education.
The 2020 pandemic forced schools to close and salaries to stop, prompting Kushemererwa to build a user-friendly website. This platform targets secondary students, focusing on core French skills through engaging online sessions via Zoom, held five days a week during holidays.
He marketed it via TikTok and WhatsApp, drawing enrollments from impressed parents. Challenges like pronunciation are tackled with patient, repetitive methods emphasizing reading and speaking, turning students into confident advocates for his classes.
Despite restrictions, his first group sat DELF exams, gaining Alliance Française recognition. A team of seven supports operations, including assessments and parent reports. The site now ranks on Google, with affordable rates broadening access.
Success stories include learners winning study-abroad scholarships and local jobs. Kushemererwa earned awards, topped a 2023 teaching contest for a France trip, and plans primary-level classes for Primary Six and Seven to build early foundations.
He stresses resilience in language learning for global edges in universities and roles at organizations like the UN.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)