Paris Is Establishing A French Proficiency Exam And Charging Fees For Students Who Don’t Pass
Editor's Note — Updated 04/04/16: This is an April Fool's prank written by ASM Marketing Manager Madeline Barnett, and posted by Plume Fashion Editor Matthew Yarborough. Come on people, did you really think that this was real?
Anne Hidalgo, current Mayor of Paris, signed into effect this morning a law requiring all non-French students living in Paris to pass a French proficiency exam or pay a hefty fee. On April 30th the city of Paris will begin assigning mandatory exam dates to all expat students.
Over the course of the next few months, the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) will mail letters to each non-French student living within Paris city limits, indicating the date and time of their mandatory French proficiency exam. This process will unfold similarly to that of the OFII medical visit that expats are required to attend when first relocating to France. Educational institutions will be required to allow students to be absent from class during the scheduled times of their French language exams.
“We feel that the ability to communicate at an intermediate level in the local language is essential to life abroad,” explained Pénélope Komitès, assistant to Hidalgo, at a press conference this morning. “We are also adamant about foreigners adapting to French culture as best they can whilst living in Paris, as protecting the authenticity and heritage of the city is of the utmost importance during this era of rapid globalization.”
By October 31st, six months from the commencement of this requirement, the city of Paris plans to have issued exams to every non-French student living within the city limits. Each student will need to achieve a score of at least B1 in order to avoid a hefty fee of 550 euros.
Image Credit: French-Langue.com.
This news comes as a shock to students who recently relocated to Paris, as knowledge of the discussion of this law was not widespread until now. Expats are now left with two options: empty their wallets or improve their French.
