Confucius Institute tries to make Chinese official foreign language in Namibia education

Confucius Institute in China is contemplating to establish more teaching sites in Namibia. The institute officials are excited to see the unwavering interest in the program among the Namibians.

Confucius Institute, Xicheng District, Beijing-headquartered aims to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally, and facilitate cultural exchanges. Now the non-profit public educational organization is working to expand its teaching sites in the coastal towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund in Namibia. Zhang Fan, Director of Confucius Institute at the University of Namibia (UNAM) said to Xinhua that Confucius Institute has attracted more locals this year.

“We have more learners at the beginning of 2019 from UNAM and all the secondary and primary schools,” he said while comparing it to the previous year’s figure of 1,153 enrolled students. According to him, the various activities undertook at the 5th-anniversary celebration of Confucius Institute last year and there have been more and more Namibians keen to learn the Chinese language and culture.

This year, Confucius Institute plans to host a Namibia and China News and Media Communication in the New Media Era Seminar to assist in the dissemination of information and understanding of the program. On the other hand, it will also collaborate with the country’s National Youth Service and Windhoek Vocational Training Center and People’s Primary School in the fields of cultural exchanges between the two countries.

“We have already opened the Namibia Tour Guide Intensive Chinese Course. We will continue to apply for Chinese language becoming an official foreign language in the Namibian education system at Chairman Mao Zedong High School and HSK test becoming an official Chinese examination in the Namibian examination system,” he added.

Since Confucius Institute’s establishment in the southwestern country, more than 3,000 students have enrolled and received different Chinese cultural activities and experiences, inclusive of scholarship opportunities to China as well as job training at Chinese companies.