RIYADH: Chinese education has begun in the country's schools to equip young people with valuable language skills and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the Asian nation's culture.
The language is taught to primary and middle school students.
According to reports, 175 teachers are teaching Mandarin in Saudi Arabia, in line with an education agreement signed by the two countries last year.
“Arabic courses are widely available at Chinese universities, and many international high schools also have Arabic teachers.” (Shutterstock)
The ministry has stated that young Saudi students will improve their chances of finding jobs or studying at prestigious Chinese universities.
Hanan Alharbi, a Saudi mother from Riyadh, said she was “very positive” about the ministry's decision because it was an “important step towards promoting global culture and giving students new and useful language skills, especially since the teachers are Chinese.”
The decision is in line with China's growing importance in the global economy and the flourishing trade and economic ties between the two nations.
FASTFACTS
• According to reports, 175 teachers are teaching Mandarin in Saudi Arabia, in line with an education agreement signed by the two countries last year.
• The Saudi Ministry of Education said it selected several schools to pilot the language program before gradually expanding the curriculum to include teaching up to third grade by 2029.
A Chinese mother from Tianjin, Taotao Wang, said: “We see this as a positive development. For us, it means sharing the cultural classics of Chinese civilization beyond our borders.
“For Saudi Arabia, it helps remove barriers to effective communication between our two nations. This cultural exchange is about finding the beauty in our differences and growing together.”
Alice Xiong, a teacher from China's Guangdong province, told Arab News that she saw it as a “win-win” situation.
“Saudi Arabia is an energetic country with many young people. There are more and more Chinese people who do business and travel in Saudi Arabia … learning the Chinese language in schools will make communication easy and direct for the youth of both countries.”
She said Arabic was now being taught in China.
“Arabic courses are widely available in Chinese universities, and many international high schools also have Arabic teachers. I hope the cultural and commercial exchanges between the two countries will get better and better,” she said.
The ministry said it selected several schools to test the language program before gradually expanding the curriculum to include teaching up to the third upper secondary school in 2029.
This phased approach will allow the Ministry to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and make necessary adjustments.
The Kingdom's Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan recently highlighted the government's significant investment in the sector in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
