Feature: African children enjoys affordable education in Chinese- supported schools

Seated round the table and with chopsticks in their hands, Kenyan students living in suburb slums chatted animatedly while enjoying breakfast before Chinese class.

The students are from the Mathare slums in Nairobi, and like many other poor kids living in slums of the capital Nairobi, they had to struggle for a chance of education.

"But that was before the Chinese came," said Sharon Mwangi, a pioneer student at Beijing MCEDO School and will complete her secondary education this year.

"When I joined this school, many classrooms were made of iron sheets. The environment was polluted and unfriendly to learning. Donation from Chinese companies has improved the classrooms and desks. The youth from this area have been inspired to remain in school," said Busolo.

She is among many other students in Africa who have benefited from China's cooperation with African countries on education. Statistics show China has built 150 primary and secondary schools in Africa and trained a total of 47,000 people of various professions from 2010 to 2012.

Irina Bokova, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), hailed the Chinese government's support, and believed it makes another record for access to quality education for African children.

Beijing MCEDO School has 627 students at the primary and secondary level. Besides ordinary courses, students here are also learning Chinese language.

"Chinese is an international language and the country's influence in Kenya is growing fast, as the two nations enhance cooperation. It is, therefore, very necessary for our students to learn the Chinese language," said Principal John Gichengo.

Since 2005, China has built 42 Confucius Institutes in 29 African countries, creating waves of learning Chinese language and culture across the continent. Now the move is spreading further.

Queenie Lin and three of her friends teach Chinese at the Beijing school and two other schools. She said the school is planning for a trip in August to Beijing for both the primary and secondary students.

Like other places on the continent where Chinese-supported school was built, the Mathare community regards Beijing School as a model of transformation as needy but intelligent children and youth can obtain quality education at minimal cost.

Benedict Kiage, the headteacher at the school said Mathare youth have been shielded from anti social behavior like crime, drug addiction and prostitution thanks to access to affordable but quality education.

China is also helping African countries on higher education. During his visit to Africa last year, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said China will provide African countries with 18,000 government scholarships and help them train 30,000 various professionals as scheduled. Endi