Terror Attack Won't Stop Student From Going To France For Further Studies

By Tengku Faezah Tengku Yusof KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- The July 14 terror attack in Nice, France, which killed 84 people and injured 303 others, will not dampen the spirits of Nurul Munjiah Hairi, a French language student, from going to that country to further her language studies. To her "there is no place in this world that there is no risk," she told Bernama at a High Tea reception for the French language teacher programmes in Malaysia with the Ministry of Education, held at the Residence of France, here recently. In fact, Nurul Munjiah, 20, is all set and feels excited to make the journey in September where she aims to learn and gain new experience in a new place and come back to Malaysia with better skills to teach the language. "I am excited to go to France to know more of their language and culture, even tough the recent attack in Nice triggered and worried my parents. "Despite the attack, my enthusiasm to continue my studies in France is not dampened as again it will all depend on our intention, and there is no place in this world that there is no risk," said Nurul Munjiah, who would be leaving for France together with 12 others to take up the language course for three years. The High Tea, organised by the French embassy, was to celebrate the success of the language programme and to welcome back some 15 students who returned from France in June as well as to send off the 13 students. French Ambassador to Malaysia Christophe Penot (centre), in his welcoming remarks at the event, said that the joint programme between the embassy and the Ministry of Education through the French language training programme, which started in 2011, has been a success with more and more students taking up the language. He said that currently there were about 13,060 students learning French in 85 secondary public schools and 3,500 students in 26 public and private universities in Malaysia. "It reflects the growing interest of the students in higher education and secondary schools to learn French, which I am very glad about and these numbers are growing with spectacular increase," he said. He also hoped that Malaysia would continue to send students to France to learn the language, which would help build bridges between the two countries. Meanwhile, French language lecturer, Malaysian Institute of Teacher Education (IPG), Liew Nyok Lin, said that before leaving for France the 13 students had spent two years learning the language for foundation programme in IPG. "This programme has prepared a platform in building better teachers, hence enhancing their teaching skills and creativity in delivering lessons in the classrooms," he noted. He said that it also enabled the future teachers to develop highly proficient skills in the French language, culture and its society. In the July 14 incident, 84 people were killed and 303 injured in the terror attack when a 19-tonne cargo truck was deliberately driven into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. (photoBERNAMA) -- BERNAMA