In Angola, French becomes compulsory in schools from the age of 10.

In Luanda, the decision feels like a sharp turn. Since a reform introduced in June 2025, the Angolan government has made French compulsory as a foreign language from the third cycle of primary school, starting at age 10. Until now, the rule was more flexible, with instruction often optional and mainly concentrated in secondary school, leaving some students behind.

In this Portuguese-speaking country of approximately 39 million inhabitants, this choice is not a cultural whim. According to Ilyes Zouari, a researcher and president of the Circle for Studies and Reflection on the Francophone World, the stated objective is economic. French is intended to serve as a bridge to its immediate neighbors, Congo-Brazzaville and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the language remains an everyday tool for administration and commerce. When borders are shared, words often end up being shared as well.

A language to carry more weight in Central Africa

The move is also political, almost tactical. João Lourenço, the Angolan president, has positioned himself as a mediator in the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC between the Congolese army and the M23, a paramilitary group supported by Rwanda. He also acted as an intermediary in Gabon to secure, in May 2025, the release of former president Ali Bongo and his family, who had been held in Libreville since the coup of August 2023. In these matters, speaking the language of the region can sometimes buy you a few minutes in a negotiating room… and those minutes count.

The crux of the matter remains, the one that press releases often gloss over: the schools, the teachers, the textbooks. The concrete details of this rollout to primary schools have not been outlined, nor have the human resources, the curricula, or the precise implementation schedule. Yet simply making a subject compulsory is not enough, especially when it comes to training teachers, harmonizing academic levels, and preventing the reform from further exacerbating inequalities between schools.

French remains the dominant working language in Central Africa, and Angola seems to be looking more towards its immediate surroundings, beyond its Lusophone roots. This choice suggests a country that also anticipates strong population growth by mid-century, with the aim of not being left behind in regional exchanges. In the classroom, the first verbs learned will soon reveal whether this linguistic gamble becomes a lasting asset or merely a facade.