Developing French Language Curricula for Vocational and Technical Education in the South-South Zone

Vocational and technical education graduates in the South-South zone of Nigeria increasingly interact with francophone personnel in the oil and gas, maritime, and agro-industrial sectors, yet French language curricula in vocational and technical institutions in this zone are either absent or insufficiently vocationally contextualised. This study develops a framework for vocationally relevant French language curricula for technical colleges and polytechnics in the South-South geopolitical zone. A needs analysis design was employed in the first phase, combining employer surveys (n=55), graduate tracer studies (n=90), and curriculum document review to identify French language competence requirements in key vocational sectors. The needs analysis findings informed the development of a draft curriculum framework, which was validated through a Delphi consensus process involving eighteen subject matter experts including French language educators, vocational education specialists, and industry practitioners. Results from the needs analysis indicate strong demand for functional French competence in technical communication, workplace safety instruction, equipment operation documentation, and client interaction in the oil and gas and maritime sectors. The Delphi process achieved consensus on a modular curriculum structure covering four vocational French competence strands across two semesters. The study provides the South-South zone's first evidence-based vocationally oriented French curriculum framework and recommends its piloting in five technical colleges across Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa States. Keywords: vocational French, curriculum development, South-South Nigeria, technical education, needs analysis