China builds schools in Tanzania as Sino-Africa ties deepen

The Chinese influence in Tanzanian soil is increasingly becoming big and bold. This can be seen after the Asian nation built two ultra-modern primary schools in Tanzania.

The schools have been built in Tanzania's University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and University of Dodoma (UDOM) campuses.

China built the two schools under the Sino-Africa Friendship Primary Schools Project worth 3.23 million U.S. dollars.

The schools are fully furnished with all modern teaching and learning facilities, and students enrolled in those schools will have chance of learning Chinese language and culture from Standard One to Standard Seven.

Speaking at the inauguration the project Monday, charge d'affaires from the Chinese Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Zhang Biao, said the project is part of the Chinese efforts to support to Tanzania's education sector.

"China is aware of Tanzania's endeavor to enhance education and develop its human resources. China will continue to provide support in this important sector,"said the Chinese official.

"Not far from where I'm standing, the construction of a modern Library and Confucius Institute are about to start with the assistance of Chinese government and more will be followed, such as the construction of Kagera Vocational Training College and the rehabilitation of the National Institute of Transport,"he added.

Dr. Leonard Akwilapo, Deputy Permanent Secretary with Tanzania's Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training (MESTV), lauded China for extending its support to Tanzania's education sector.

"China remains and will continue to remain as Tanzania's closet and true friend. These have been seen in different arena, like what we see today," Akwilapo said.

He said the project will help in improving education status in the country as the newly built schools have all the required teaching and learning facilities.

"We believe this modern-built classrooms will help the students to get quality of education that can benefit their future and the country at large," Akwilipo said.

"These schools came at the time when the University of Dar es Salaam and University of Dodoma have started offering courses in the Chinese language through a new Confucius Institute," the official said, encouraging more Tanzanian students to embrace the Chinese language courses

The project came at the time when the MESTV already picked six secondary schools for a special program for students to learn Chinese language starting this year.

Already 12 Chinese language teachers from China have completed a teaching methodology course on how to teach the subject in the six selected secondary schools. Endit