School children in eight German-speaking states of Switzerland are to learn English, rather than French, as their second language.

Education bosses announced that pupils would now start learning English four years earlier than at present - in the third year instead of the seventh.

The teaching of French - Switzerland's second most widely spoken language after German - would start in the fifth year.

The move follows a decision by the mainly German-speaking canton of Zurich two years ago to make English the first foreign language to be taught in schools in place of French.

Officials in Zurich said the measure was justified because English was increasingly becoming the dominant language in both professional and personal circles.

Calming tensions

But critics of the decision - mainly native French and Italian speakers - said learning the languages of other Swiss nationals had helped the country to live in harmony, avoiding the ethnic tensions seen, for example, in Spain.

Around 64% of the Swiss population is German-speaking, while French speakers make up approximately 19% of the population.

Italian is the mother-tongue of 5% of Swiss nationals and a small group speak Romansch, a descendant of Latin.

The situation is complicated by the fact that 20% of those living in Switzerland are foreigners, speaking a variety of languages.