Mandarin classes should be compulsory

There is a proposal to introduce Mandarin classes in Kenyan schools. More than 25,000 primary and secondary schools are set to benefit from this if the government of Kenya fully implements the project.

The education fraternity in the country is excited about this proposal. Indeed it will be a sure way of increasing our youths' competitive edge when bidding for job opportunities.

The world has become a global village, and the effects of globalization are here with us. Interaction between people from different countries and cultures has become easy due to modern technology. Language is therefore needed for effective communication.

China's stature in the global arena has grown. It is the second-biggest economy in the world. Its focus in Africa has elevated the continent's global standing. China is helping African governments develop modern infrastructure that improves their way of doing business with each other and other countries.

As its dealings with Africa grow, so do its people. According to the United Nations, the world population stood at 7 billion in 2011. In 2013, China's population stood at 1.4 billion, according to the World Bank. This means that out of every five people, one is Chinese. It is also one of the United Nations' official languages. There is no doubt therefore that there is need to learn the language to accommodate day-to-day global change and the demand for the language, and to eradicate language barriers between Kenyans and the growing Chinese community in the country.

The setup of Kenya's education sector is welcome. Kenyans are already a multilingual society. English is the official language used as an instructive medium in classes. It is introduced early during formative stages when learners are below 10 years of age.

Kiswahili, on the other hand, is commonly spoken as the national language; it is widely used in a country that has about 42 ethnic groups. Each community has its own unique dialects. It is also a language that unifies East Africa as citizens of Tanzania, Rwanda and a few Ugandans understand and speak it.

Moreover, French, German, Spanish and Arabic are already being taught in schools. They are courses that are offered as an option. Very few public primary schools offer these languages as many schools do not have the resources to pay teachers and buy learning materials. This has left out a majority of Kenyan children, who attend public schools.

Pursuant to the education policy of offering Chinese as an option, many children again will be left out. The majority of learners will not interact with it until they enter secondary schools. And only the lucky ones will learn it in schools that have opted to offer it. Most candidates are likely to opt to drop it in the national exams and may take it later in life if they deem it necessary for their careers.

It is noteworthy that about 7 million children never make it to secondary school. Last year, according to the Kenyan Ministry of Education, primary schools had an enrollment of 9,559,072 while secondary schools had an enrollment of 2,310,066.

With the proposal to introduce Mandarin still in its infancy, it would be wise to have it introduced early in primary schools. And unlike the existing foreign languages, it would be more advantageous if it were made compulsory.

Research shows that introducing a foreign language at a young age is ideal because the brain is more receptive. Children are better language learners than adults because the latter may experience mental blocks that may prevent them from fully profiting from the teaching and learning experience. For those who would have learned it before entering a university, where the Confucius Institutes are located, they will have an added advantage since they will have acquired the basic skills required.

It is important to note that half of Kenyan students who sit for their final national exams do not go to universities. Instead, they join mid-tier colleges where they hone practical skills that are in demand at many Chinese construction firms setting shop in the country.

Kenya's interaction with China has grown over the years. Besides job opportunities, products that are used in everyday life are mainly manufactured in China. Incidentally, these products sometimes come with manuals written in Chinese and are hard to decipher.

At a time when Kenya is preparing to industrialize, it will be important to have a big number of people communicating in Chinese. It becomes more imperative when one considers that Kenya has been chosen as a recipient of China's industrial relocation.

These same Kenyans can help neighboring Tanzania and Ethiopia, who are included in the pilot project that would see some light industries set up these countries.

Moreover, Kenyans are known throughout Africa for being enterprising. Kenyans who can communicate in Chinese would be highly prized assets in other countries at a time when companies are looking to take their services to a global audience. This would put Kenyans at the forefront in driving the New Asian African Strategic Partnership, a policy created in 2005 to encourage links between the continents.

It is important to note that the study of Chinese language embodies understanding its people and their culture. Chinese culture is over 5,000 years old. Chinese civilization is endowed with a rich heritage of novels, short stories, poetry, drama and, more recently, film. They reflect values, struggles, sensibility, joys and sorrows that often offer insight into the most intimate feelings of its great people.

By learning the Chinese language, the learners will learn another culture and another way of looking at the world. Chinese language goes hand in hand with culture.

The author is an education consultant who is a retired primary school teacher. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 11/20/2015 page9)