The Challenges of French Language Curriculum Adaptation to Digital Learning in Nigerian Secondary Schools

The rapid shift toward digital and blended learning modalities in Nigerian secondary education following post-pandemic educational policy adjustments has created both opportunities and significant challenges for French language curriculum delivery, yet the specific adaptation experiences of French teachers navigating this transition have not been documented. This study investigates the challenges French language teachers face in adapting the national secondary school French curriculum to digital learning environments across six secondary schools in Edo State. A qualitative phenomenological research design was employed, with in-depth interviews conducted with twenty-two French teachers who had experience delivering French instruction through digital platforms during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis generated a taxonomy of adaptation challenges. Results reveal that unreliable internet connectivity and learner device poverty were the most disruptive structural challenges, rendering synchronous digital French instruction effective for fewer than 30% of enrolled students in most schools. Pedagogical adaptation challenges included the difficulty of teaching pronunciation and oral interaction through audio-degraded digital channels and the absence of digitally available French language materials aligned with the Nigerian secondary school curriculum. Teachers reported developing informal peer networks for sharing improvised digital resources in the absence of official curriculum adaptation guidance. The study recommends development of an offline-compatible digital French curriculum package by the National Educational Research and Development Council specifically designed for low-bandwidth Nigerian secondary school contexts. Keywords: digital learning, French curriculum, secondary schools, Edo State, blended instruction