Uganda Introducing Chinese Language To Schools

Mandarin was about to become a classroom subject in Uganda — and China was helping train the teachers.

The Ugandan Ministry of Education is planning to add Mandarin language lessons into high school curricula in 35 schools, with future plans to introduce it to more educational institutions when resources become available.  The ministry has selected 35 teachers who have been trained over the past nine months to lead classes that will be compulsory for two years of high school but optionally according to local reports.  

The program is being supported by the Chinese government which has supplied materials including textbooks as well as some tutors, reports the Daily Monitor of Uganda. Schools in Uganda already learn other international languages ​​including English, the language of its former colonial British rulers, French, Arabic, Latin and German.

 Uganda follows South Africa, which introduced Mandarin lessons at some schools starting in 2014. Lessons were available in 44 South African public schools around the country as of September.

There has been rising interest in the number of Chinese language schools across the world, including in Africa. Since 2004 the number of Chinese-government funded Confucius Institutes in Africa has jumped from zero to 48. These schools, focus on Chinese language and culture are part of a stated push to improve the China’s cultural influence with a focus on “soft power“. 

English, French, Arabic, German, Latin… and now Mandarin.

Uganda was essentially looking at where the world was moving economically and saying: our children need to be able to speak the language too.

If your country announced that Mandarin was being introduced in secondary schools, would you see it as a smart opportunity for students — or would you rather schools focus on strengthening local African languages first?

... spill TEA ☕ Easy on Shade #jaiyeorie