The case for Arabic language education in the UK
‘Max of Arabia’, as he’s become known on Instagram, is one of the estimated 5 million British citizens living and working abroad — a number that is projected to increase as Brits look to establish new economic partnerships in Europe and beyond. For Max, speaking Arabic has been crucial to launching his own clothing line in the United Arab Emirates.
“I learned Arabic because I want to interact with Arabs in their language,” Max explains. “When you know the language, it opens a huge number of doors.”
In spite of this growing need for foreign language skills, British schools have consistently struggled to sustain the funding needed for quality foreign language education programs. A 2015 study by the British Council found that while Arabic is the second most necessary language in the UK, only 3 per cent of British schools offer Arabic language instruction.
Why is Arabic necessary?
Careers are the most obvious answer. There is rising demand for Arabic language skills, not only in the humanitarian and government sectors, but also in banking and other professional industries. These opportunities can be found in the UK, the US, and around the world. Learning Arabic can open up a world of opportunity and travel to language learners in the UK if access to quality Arabic language learning is expanded in the UK.
Qatar Foundation International (QFI) is already working with key partners to address this critical skills gap. Since 2012, British Council and QFI have funded Arabic language education programs in the UK. QFI currently provides grants for Arabic as a foreign language classes to the local school districts in ten states and Washington, DC to meet community needs and interests. Applying this method in UK schools can have a significant impact on the availability of quality Arabic language instruction.
This program is already taking place at schools like St. Colomb’s College in Derry, where the Arabic language program is very popular with students, teachers, and partners alike. Additional support from QFI will allow for an enriched curriculum that will help students turn their Arabic language skills into a skill for the modern workforce.
Learning more than just a language
However, the Arabic program that we have created at St. Colomb’s encompasses far more than just language instruction. Learning about Arab culture has been integrated into the citizenship and arts courses, and members of the local Syrian community come to the school regularly to serve tradition Syrian cuisine to teachers and students.
This is the second opportunity that comes with better access to Arabic instruction. It offers a way to bridge cultures and generate understanding. To facilitate this, in addition to funding Arabic language learning in the class room, QFI is providing UK-aligned digital learning resources for Arabic language learning and accurate, engaging teaching materials about the Middle East and Middle Eastern culture with Arabic Al-Masdar.
There is no better way to prepare the country’s young people than investing in foreign language instruction. QFI is proud to be doing our part to ensure that the next generation of international traders, entrepreneurs, journalists, and more or ready to engage in the 27 countries around the world where Arabic is the primary language. I know. I lived in one of them — Syria — with a Syrian family in the heart of Damascus as a Fulbright Scholar from 1990–92.
