BAKU, July 23, 2025 — A growing number of French language teachers across Azerbaijan are voicing concerns over the potential elimination of their subject from general education curricula. The reduction of French lessons in several public schools has already led to a loss of teaching hours, sparking fears of widespread unemployment among language instructors.
In a complaint sent to Oxu.Az, affected teachers warn that “hundreds of French teachers across the country are now facing the threat of job loss. If the current trend continues and French is removed from the curriculum, we are requesting at least one year to retrain. We can’t get an appointment with the minister. Education experts say that without an additional degree, teachers will not be granted classroom hours. That means we would need to study again for three years, with tuition fees ranging from 2,500 to 3,000 manats per year. How are we supposed to afford that?”
Ministry: Language Choice Rests with Parents
In response, the Ministry of Science and Education’s Public Relations and Communications Department clarified that the choice of which foreign language to study in public schools is made by parents or legal guardians.
“According to the ‘State Standards for General Education in the Republic of Azerbaijan’ (Resolution No. 361, September 29, 2020), students may study English, German, French, Russian, Arabic, or Persian as either a first or second foreign language. The first foreign language is taught from Grade 1, and a second foreign language from Grade 5,” the ministry stated.
The ministry emphasized that schools with the appropriate teaching staff allow parents to choose which foreign language their children will study. Specifically, Appendix No. 7 of the Ministry-approved curriculum outlines that in Azerbaijani-language schools, two of three extracurricular hours for Grades 5–8 are allocated to foreign language instruction, and one hour is dedicated to the second foreign language. In non-Azerbaijani-language schools, all three hours go toward foreign language teaching.
“This allocation highlights the continued prioritization of foreign language education and confirms that extra hours are being dedicated to these subjects,” the ministry noted.
Still, concerns persist among teachers that parental preference, logistical limitations, and shifting language policies may gradually phase out French instruction—leaving a skilled cohort of educators without viable employment alternatives unless retraining options are provided.
