Introduction of Mandarin at S. African schools important: authorities

The introduction of Mandarin in South African schools is important in making learners global citizens, a senior official at the Department of Basic Education (DBE) said on Wednesday.

Teaching Mandarin among children will help them take advantage of opportunities in Chinese companies, said Nhlanhla Nduna-Wattson, Director of Curriculum at the DBE.

South Africa's decision to introduce the language at a school curriculum level only further emphasizes China's rise as a world power, Nduna-Wattson said on SA FM's Forum@8.

South Africa will introduce Mandarin in schools, beginning from January 2016.

The roll-out of Mandarin will be incrementally implemented in schools with Grades 4-9 and 10 in January 2016, to be followed by Grade 11 in 2017 and Grade 12 in 2018, said SG Padayachee, Acting Director-General of the DBE.

Last month, Padayachee signed a circular for incremental implementation of Mandarin as a non-official language from 2016-2018.

Introducing Mandarin as a second additional language for Grades 4-9 will be regarded as an additional subject not to be taken into account for promotion requirements, according to the circular.

Other language choices in the same category include German, Serbian, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish, Tamil, Telegu and Urdu.

Under the circular issued to national and provincial education authorities, the Chinese language will be added to the school curriculum in January 2016.

The programme is part of a 10-year plan signed in December last year by President Jacob Zuma, and will be taught as an optional extra.

The decision was taken because China is South Africa's biggest trading partner and it would help strengthen relations, DBE spokesperson Elija Mhlanga said.

The implementation of an optional language in the Intermediate Phase (Grade 4-6) and in the Senior Phase (Grades 7-9) in public schools in the various provinces is subject to the approval of the Head of Education of the relevant province, the circular says.

The DBE signed an implementation plan with the Ministry of Education in March last year aimed at strengthening educational ties at an institutional and policy level.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said earlier that the agreement speaks to collaboration between the two countries in a number of areas, "but for us what is especially encouraging is the work we will be undertaking together in the field of mathematics, science and technology, where we have seen China excel".

Mandarin is the most commonly spoken language in the world. Enditem