by Stanley Azuakola

The Lagos public schools’ curriculum is about to see a new introduction — Mandarin. No kidding – Fashola is working. As from next session public schools in Lagos State would have a subject called Mandarin (Chinese language) in their curriculum.

The state’s commissioner for Education, Olayinka Oladunjoye, said in a signed statement that learning the language would be an opportunity for students to be able to adapt to the Chinese culture. The statement was released after the commissioner had met with a delegation from the Chinese Confucius Institute of the University of Lagos.

According to the Director of the Confucius Institute, Caleb Orimoogunje, the institute would assist the state and provide adequate logistics to make the teaching and learning go smoothly. To help the smooth take off of the program, Lirong Jiang, a co-director of the institute, would work closely with the government.

On her part, Jiang said Mandarin was now a necessity because of China’s position as the new destination for economic growth and technological development.

“The Institute is prepared to provide Chinese instructors to teach the language and culture in the state’s public schools as soon as the Memorandum of Understanding is signed between the state and the institute,” she said. “The knowledge of Chinese language will help students to further their studies in China and carry out research in various fields of human endeavour as China has become a success story in the world economy,” she said.

If only we’d first try to get English right…