Kenya and the Republic of China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide scholarships to teachers and students to learn the Chinese language in China.
The deal will also see the official introduction of the Chinese language as an examinable subject in primary and secondary schools in a bid to promote international relationships through education.
Under the Beijing Edu-Cultural Exchange Programme, the two countries will develop training programmes in conjunction with Chinese universities to train teachers in Kenyan universities as well.
Speaking during the event in Beijing, China, Principal Secretary (PS) for Higher Education Beatrice Inyangala said that signing of the pact will open the way for more beneficial programmes between the countries.
“We encourage more students to join this programme since the government will provide scholarships,” she said.
Inyangala added that the agreement was timely considering the rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and will add to other foreign languages including French, German and Arabic.
China’s Vice Minister for Education, Wang Jiayi, said that cooperation between the two countries in education was vital in catalyzing development between them.
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Wang said that they will sponsor scholars from both countries to write and adapt course books and other supplementary learning materials to enrich the teaching resources.
Kenya’s High Commissioner to China, Willy Bett, commended the MoU saying it will cement the long-standing relationship between Kenya and China, terming the pact as a milestone.
Director of Confucius Institute, University of Nairobi, Prof. ShangXue Wang said that the programme will enhance the ‘Chinese Bridge of International Knowledge’.
Kenya’s Education Attaché to China, Albert Ombiro, lauded the deal saying that it will broaden the scope of international understanding to the Kenyan child and enable them to adapt to the ever-evolving world.
By Enock Okong’o
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