The French Embassy in the Philippines has launched a language assistant program with the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman’s European Languages Department, fostering cross-cultural connections and deepening language immersion.

It said that the program will select three to five Filipino teaching assistants to teach English in France, offering salaries between 800 and 1,500 Euros and additional allowances.

“Language and culture are gateways to broader horizons,” said UP Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II at the launch ceremony. “They shape our perspective, enhance our empathy and open doors and windows to new opportunities and challenges.”

The century-old language assistant program — now with 74 partner countries — sends about 6,000 young people annually to France to assist language teachers and share their cultures. The Philippines is the 74th partner nation.

It offers positions in all regions of metropolitan France and the overseas departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and La Réunion. Applicants may indicate up to three regions of preference.  

Accepted applicants will teach 12 hours per week at up to three nearby schools, mostly in English, independently or alongside a referent teacher.

The application will open on 31 October 2024 and placements will be announced in May 2025 for a departure to France in October.

Applicants must be Filipino citizens aged 20 to 35, who have completed most of their education in the Philippines, be native speakers of the language they will teach, have finished at least two years of a bachelor’s program and possess good knowledge of French.

The French Embassy stressed that the program — in collaboration with the Department of Education — will strengthen the presence of French in Philippine schools and ensure its sustainable future.

It will also create a comprehensive map of French teachers in the country to foster a united community with France.