Editor,

Reference is made to the story, "Rwanda, Zambia to interchange English and French teachers” (The New Times, June 8). This wonderful exchange of teachers makes clear that there is indeed a market for French, not only in Rwanda, but also in other parts of Africa and elsewhere. The omnipresence of English has definitely reached its limits.

When English was introduced as the first official foreign language in Rwandan society and school, many people were convinced that the times of French were irrevocably over, that the definite shift to English corresponds to the knowledge of modern machines, computers and economic stakeholders almost used to command this idiom.

In fact, there is a growing demand not only for French, but also for other world languages.

English may be predominantly used in international conferences, but it is less monotonous in the lobbies and halls.

Trilingualism is an asset for Rwanda, indeed this exchange of teachers with Zambia would not have been possible if only English was the only language taught and spoken in this country.

Kian-Harald Karimi