A first organization of 175 teachers has completed their studies and will begin training in the Saudi kingdom until the end of August. The goal is to send at least 800 teachers to the Arab country. This is a sign of Beijing’s growing involvement in the economy and schooling in the Middle East.
Riyadh (AsiaNews) – For the first time in the history of China and Saudi Arabia, 175 Chinese teachers will begin training Mandarin in Saudi primary and secondary schools until the end of August, confirming China’s growing influence in the Middle East, where it competes . for hegemony with the United States.
This follows an agreement signed last year between the two countries to cooperate on Chinese education, language training and culture in the kingdom.
According to China Daily, the first teachers’ organization attended education from July 29 to August 2 at Tianjin Normal University. The five-day module was organized through the Saudi Ministry of Education, in cooperation with its Chinese counterpart.
A group committed to Chinese language training systems claims that at least 800 training positions will be created through this initiative.
Saudi online newspaper Al-Marsd also noted that the new educational year, which starts next week, will include Chinese categories at least 3 times a week for 3 quarters.
Last year, Saudi high schools introduced compulsory Chinese categories for second-year students, including educational performances and interactive sessions for language learning through self-study and in groups.
In 2020, the Saudi government gave the green light to Chinese categories in eight of the best schools, returning to ties between the countries.
Following Xi Jinping’s official stopover in the Saudi kingdom at the end of 2022, his meeting with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, it was announced that educational systems would be expanded.
While in Saudi Arabia, the Chinese president said his government would expand the project, also offering thousands of opportunities to teach Chinese in Gulf countries.
In January 2023, Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council approved a draft agreement with China to teach Chinese, marking a milestone in educational and cultural cooperation between the two countries.
This builds on an earlier agreement signed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on his stopover in Beijing in 2019, which aimed to promote the use of Mandarin in Saudi Arabia as part of broader efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with China.
Saudi Arabia is also introducing Chinese language categories in universities, reported Cankao Xiaoxi, a newspaper affiliated with the official Xinhua news agency.
The first organization of 175 teachers is the vanguard of a much larger “army” of many Chinese teachers fit to leave for the kingdom, writes jiaohanyu. com, an online page that offers Chinese language teaching systems and assignment opportunities.
“The success of the initial education of the first group of Chinese teachers is a reflection of the strong partnership and fruitful cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China,” said Yaqin Talal A. Jebreen, Human Resources Specialist at Tatweer CoArray.
“I believe that the final touch of those responsibilities through those teachers will mark a totally new beginning for educational cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia,” he added.
“We are grateful to have such a valuable and ambitious school opportunity to contribute to Chinese language teaching in Saudi Arabia,” said Liu Xiaoting, one of the 175 teachers.
Tianjin Normal University (TNU) PC†C committee secretary Qu Kai said the university’s efforts have enabled more than 60,000 foreign scholars to learn Chinese language and culture.
The aim is to strengthen foreign cooperation and Chinese language teaching in Saudi Arabia by providing academics and teachers with greater Chinese education services.
[*] Reference news.
[†] Chinese Communist Party.
A first group of 175 teachers has completed their training and will begin training in the Saudi kingdom until the end of August. The goal is to send at least 800 teachers to the Arab country. It’s a sign of Beijing’s growing involvement in the Middle East’s economy and education.