The more languages you know, the more lives you have.
Svetlana Popović Vujotić
Life
Seventy-two-year-old pensioner Momčilo Kusovac, while his peers solve crossword puzzles to maintain mental sharpness, uses his free time for a more complex method of mental activity.
He spent his working life protecting people, property, and nature from fires. Although stationed in the firefighting unit in Podgorica, throughout his decades-long career he responded wherever help was needed. He is fortunate to spend his retirement days with his wife in good health and high spirits. He is the father of five children—four daughters and one son. Not all of them live in Montenegro; life has taken them along different paths to major cities around the world. Momčilo and his wife have already become proud grandparents, and there will surely be more grandchildren to come. Still, Kusovac and his life companion are preparing for a long journey at the end of the upcoming summer (2026). Preparations are underway.
Momčilo Kusovac, in the classroom
Momčilo, a pensioner only by age but not by his energy and zest for life, has been sitting side by side with younger participants in an adult English course since February at the Oxford Centre (a full member of Eaquals). This will continue until the end of May, and in August he and his wife will set off for distant Australia, where their daughter awaits them with her family, along with a meeting with their newly born grandson.
“I am attending the A1, or starter level. For now, it’s going well, and I hope to achieve what I have always wanted—to communicate more easily while traveling, and, even more importantly, to be able to talk with family members who do not understand our language. I especially want, when the time comes, to be ready to teach my grandchildren to speak Montenegrin,” Kusovac says.
Jasmina Salihović, with children
While a man from Podgorica in his later years is trying to make up for knowledge he did not acquire in his youth—without which it is now difficult to function outside the borders of his homeland—Jasmina Salihović, a Swiss woman of Bosnian origin, and her four children, permanently settled in the heart of the European continent, speak several foreign languages and have a completely different educational experience compared to us in Montenegro.
“The history of Switzerland is the history of people who did not speak the same language, but chose to live together. Multilingualism is a result of the country’s identity, which has built something even more important—a culture of compromise and mutual respect,” Jasmina says.
Official statistics show that in Switzerland, 81% of young people aged 15 to 24 use three or more languages. Schools educate them through gentle and progressive methods—through play, dialogue, real-life situations, and positive reinforcement. Achievement is especially valued in order to build children’s self-confidence.
“In the canton of Vaud, where we live, the first language is French. The second is German, which children begin to learn at the age of 8–9, and then, at 9–10 years old, they start learning English. The conclusion is that most children in Switzerland can communicate in three languages by around the age of 15,” Salihović explains.
Switzerland
Public education in Switzerland is free and compulsory. State universities have relatively low tuition fees compared to many other countries. Scholarships and student support are generous.
Knowledge of languages not only opens the mind but also the door to numerous opportunities, facilitates social integration, provides access to a broader job market, and leads to better-paid jobs.
Not knowing foreign languages is the same as missed opportunities—limited access to international cooperation, mobility, and understanding of other cultures.
“If I can think differently—that is, in another language, since each language carries a different perspective of the world—then I can also accept that someone else thinks differently from me. That is a strong foundation of tolerance,” concludes Jasmina Salihović.
Montenegro
In Montenegro, according to data from the 2023 census (MONSTAT), English is spoken by the largest number of citizens—37.97%, which is 12% more compared to the 2011 census. A total of 53,261 people speak two foreign languages, while 12,117 people speak three or more. After English, the most common languages are Italian, German, French, and Spanish.
The level of education is not crucial for language proficiency, as in Montenegro the largest share of citizens have completed secondary education (52.8%), while 26.2% hold a higher education degree. A total of 17.8% (90,819 people) have completed primary school.
Luxembourg
How many languages are taught in a country (within public education) depends on education policy, the labor market, and cultural influences. In the European Union, English is the most widely taught language in general and vocational education, followed by Spanish, German, French, and Italian.
There are countries where multiple languages are taught during general education, while in others this comes only at the vocational level, and there are also those where it is a matter of personal choice rather than a compulsory option.
One of the latest Eurostat studies on language proficiency showed that multilingual differences among member states are significant. In Luxembourg, more than half of respondents (51.2%) said they speak three or more foreign languages, while in Hungary, Poland, and Romania fewer than three percent of people gave the same answer to a similar question.
Learning foreign languages is best at an early age, but as we’ve seen, it can also be successful in later years—it depends on motivation and dedication.
Marija Bojić, an English teacher at Primary School Oktoih in Podgorica, a teacher trainer and a member of the Board of the Association of English Language Teachers of Montenegro, says for “Argument,” based on her experience working with both children and adults, that the key to successfully acquiring a foreign language lies in constant exposure to the language, quality teaching, and family support.
“The methodology of teaching English follows modern trends in language learning, and it often seems to be a step ahead of other subjects. Educational reform has reduced the scope of grammar studied in primary schools in order to place greater focus on developing speaking and writing skills. With the development of technology, we now have access to a wide range of materials that can be used in their original form or adapted as needed. Since this school year, new textbooks have also been introduced, providing students with online access to additional exercises, while English teachers are offered various opportunities for professional development,” says Bojić.
In addition to its advantages, new technology also brings certain risks, such as superficial language learning and reliance on online translators, which leads to weaker development of speaking skills. Technology cannot replace real communication or a high-quality pedagogical approach.
“Children lack confidence and spontaneity in speaking, because they certainly know more than they show—they just need support and opportunities to use their knowledge. Adults, however, approach the entire learning process analytically and consciously. We should be realistic and acknowledge that not everyone has the same opportunities to learn a language. We are a country that relies on tourism, and knowledge not only of English but also of other foreign languages should be accessible to everyone. A plan to develop additional, free programs would help both children and parents in this process. Language is a skill essential for navigating the modern world,” concluded teacher Bojić.
The issue of learning foreign languages, especially English, is extremely important in light of Montenegro’s accession to the European Union, when our market will become an open zone for young people, business clients, and the workforce from other countries, where language proficiency is more widespread and at a higher level. For this reason, all institutions—whether public or private—that can contribute to quickly and effectively overcoming the language barrier are of great importance.
At the Oxford Centre, which has operated according to European Union standards since its establishment in 1987, more than 100,000 participants have successfully completed their courses to date. This represents an extremely valuable contribution to a society moving toward the community of European nations.
“What sets us apart from other schools is that, in addition to reading, writing, and listening, we place special emphasis on conversation, because without practical knowledge, theory can be a weak tool,” says the Director of Studies at the Oxford Centre, Marko Lopičić.
In addition to English (including business English), courses are also organized in Italian and German at centers across Montenegro. There is no age limit, as knowledge of English has become a necessity, much like knowledge of one’s native language.
“When applying for secondary school abroad, it is necessary to have at least a B2 level of English, or C1 for university. The same is required for jobs in public administration. We conduct standardized free English language testing, which includes both a written and an oral exam,” explains Lopičić.
Montenegro
It is not uncommon for young people in Montenegro to reach university without a satisfactory level of English, or for another compulsory foreign language—offered through the curriculum—to be completely unfamiliar to them. This leads to the conclusion that a clear strategy must be established, from the lowest to the highest levels of education, aligned with European Union standards, as any other scenario could have concerning consequences.
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“A second language is another vision of life.”
Federico Fellini