“You are examples. I will do everything to get my diploma too. » The young man, originally from Sierra Leone and arrived a few months ago, asked to speak at the end of the French language study diploma ceremony (Delf) which took place there a few days, in the conference room of Cantau high school.
He has just started his journey to master the language of the country that welcomes him. “At the beginning, I didn’t know French,” he added. Comme toutes celles et tous ceux qui, lors de cette cérémonie, se sont vu remettre le diplôme qui ponctue leur cursus au sein de l’UPE2A (unité pédagogique pour élèves allophones arrivants).
33 students, of 17 different nationalities, received this document, which testifies to their acquisition of the fundamental bases of French. Girls and boys from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sudan, Tunisia, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Cuba, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Gambia, etc.
Language and values
Among them, Anastasia, a young Ukrainian now in 1st STD2A (Science and technology of design and applied arts) at Cantau high school, made screen-printed T-shirts with drawings that she created to offer them to each graduate.
“This is the 5th award ceremony for these diplomas, intended for allophone students (whose mother tongue is a foreign language, Editor’s note) during their first four years in France,” explains Stella Perez, teacher responsible for UPE2A. This is often the first degree they obtain. »
Pascal Mercier, proviseur du lycée Cantau, s’est félicité pour la mise en place de cette formation dans son établissement, antérieurement à son arrivée. « Toute une équipe s’est engagée pour accueillir ces enfants, venus d’horizons très différents et leur permettre d’acquérir notre langue et nos valeurs, au sein du système éducatif. »
A whole team
“We work as a team, with the high school management, educational advisors, nurses, teachers, agents, to help young people in their academic process and for other areas that they need,” adds Stella Perez, addressing a special mention to Lara, a young girl in civic service, who was very involved with the class that has just graduated and Nathalie Cornec, AESH (accompanist for students with disabilities) who, from the start, has five years ago, help young allophones in preparing for their exams. She also brings them biscuits that she makes and which, obviously, are a great success.
In the public who came to attend this ceremony, there were several students welcomed in the NSA class (not previously educated), created at the Louis-de-Foix high school, in Bayonne. But, due to increasing numbers, an additional class was opened at Cantau high school, under the responsibility of Faustine Werts. This time, it is a question of giving these young foreigners the first foundations of an education that they have, until now, never known.
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