January 15, 2010

When Randa Makhoul, an art teacher at school in Beirut, asked his students in Arabic, they would often get answers in English or French.

“It’s very frustrating to see young people who want intelligent speak their mother tongue, but can not form coherent sentences correctly,” he delivered at the School of Notre Dame de Jamhour in the capital city of Lebanon.

Makhoulhanya one of several Lebanese teachers and parents who care about the increasing number of young people who do not master the Arabic language, although born and raised in the countries in the Middle East region.

He welcomed the government’s campaign to save the Arabic in Lebanon, called “You speak from the East and he answered from the West.” “The campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance to maintain the national official language of Lebanon. We encourage learning a foreign language, but does not leave the mother tongue,” said Amal Mansour, spokesman for the Ministry of Culture of Lebanon.

Arabic is the official language of the Lebanese, but the English and French is widely spoken. Most Lebanese speak French – as a French colony – and the younger generation switch to using English.
The number of parents who enroll their children in schools that use the curriculum of France, England and America, and hopes one day will help them obtain jobs and an assured future. In fact, some of them speak French and in English in the house.

“It’s sad none of our younger generation who can speak Arabic very well,” said Lara Traad (16) Notre Dame de Jamhour student, one school with a French curriculum.

“Very sorry my parents did not help in improving my Arabic language skills. It is too late, but may do something for the younger students,” he was quoted as saying “the BBC”.

Lebanese language also has the distinction of classical Arabic, the dialect and language. Classical languages are almost never used in conversation – these are only used in the news, the official speech of its officers, and numerous television programs.

Now, many young people of Lebanon should work to improve the ability to read and write in Arabic. Similar problems occurred in several Arab countries that have more foreign schools – United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt and some North African countries.