Evaluating the Quality of French Language Instruction at Nigerian Language Schools and Institutes

Private language schools and institutes offering French language courses to adult and professional learners constitute a significant but largely unregulated sector of French language education in Nigeria, operating outside the formal school and university systems with minimal quality oversight. This study evaluates the quality of French language instruction at eight private language schools and institutes in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Enugu, assessing curriculum design, instructor qualifications, instructional methods, and learner outcomes. A mixed methods programme evaluation design was employed, combining structured instructor and learner questionnaires, curriculum document review, and direct observation of twelve French lessons across the eight institutions. A quality assessment rubric adapted from European language school quality frameworks was applied to each institution. Learner outcome assessments used standardised proficiency tasks at beginning and end of sampled courses. Results reveal significant quality variation, with two institutions providing demonstrably high-quality instruction comparable to Alliance Francaise standards while three institutions showed critical deficiencies in instructor French proficiency, curriculum structure, and assessment practice. Class size, instructor qualification, and use of communicative methods were the strongest positive quality predictors. Regulatory oversight was entirely absent for all private language schools in the study, with no licensing requirement or quality standard currently applicable. The study recommends establishment of a regulatory framework for private French language schools under the National Board for Technical Education, with minimum instructor qualification standards and mandatory curriculum disclosure. Keywords: French language schools, quality evaluation, private language institutes, Nigeria, language education regulation