Tanzania’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has conveyed its appreciation to the Chinese embassy in the country for its generous donation of 2,700 Chinese textbooks to schools that offer Chinese language teaching. The donation aims to address the shortage of textbooks in secondary schools, thereby enhancing the quality of teaching and learning of the Chinese language.
The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Carolyne Nombo, expressed her gratitude during a ceremony held in Dar es Salaam, the economic capital of Tanzania. She emphasized that the donated books would significantly contribute to reducing the gap in the student-book ratio in secondary schools, resulting in improved language education. Nombo also mentioned that this follows an earlier donation of 2,304 Chinese textbooks made by the Chinese embassy to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, bringing the total number of donated books to an impressive 5,004.
Nombo highlighted the remarkable progress made in the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language in Tanzania’s lower-level secondary schools since its introduction as a pilot project in 2016. She further revealed that currently, 18 public lower secondary schools across the country offer Chinese language instruction, with two schools even providing advanced-level courses. Additionally, plans are in motion to establish a Confucius Institute for basic education at the prestigious Tanzania Institute of Education.
Strengthening Cultural Understanding
Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Chen Mingjian, reiterated the significance of the donated textbooks in enriching the learning experience of teachers and students of the Chinese language. Chen emphasized that the books would provide valuable insights into Chinese history, culture, and education. He further disclosed that as of April 2023, approximately 6,500 Tanzanian students were learning Chinese in the 18 pilot middle schools. Moreover, the educational institutions benefit from the presence of four Chinese teachers, 60 local Chinese teachers, one Chinese project coordinator, and five Tanzanian project coordinators in primary and secondary schools.
The donation of Chinese textbooks by the Chinese embassy in Tanzania reflects the strong partnership between the two nations in promoting cultural exchange and education. The availability of these educational resources will undoubtedly contribute to the continued growth and improvement of Chinese language education in Tanzania, fostering greater understanding and collaboration between the two countries.
