On August 2nd, 2022 an online training program was held for local Chinese teachers working in the basic education sector in Mauritius. The program was sponsored by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education, China, and co-organized by Zhejiang Normal University and the Confucius Institute at University of Mauritius. Mrs Aneeta Ghoorah, Director of the Primary School Department at the Ministry of Education of Mauritius; Mr Song Yongbo, Deputy Director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education; Mrs Zhang Xinhong, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Mauritius; and Mr Zheng Mengzhuang, President of Zhejiang Normal University, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony, presided by Mrs Xu Lihua, Director of the International Office of Zhejiang Normal University and Executive Director of the African Chinese Education Practice and Research Base. There was about 60 local Chinese teachers from public primary and secondary schools and Chinese schools in Mauritius. Mr Premlall Mahadeo, Chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute in Mauritius; Mrs Honghong Wong Ko Nang, Acting Senior Inspector (Modern Chinese) of the Ministry of Education of Mauritius; Mrs Ni Yi, President of the Mandarin Teachers Association; Mr Dharma Kistamah and Mrs Fu Mingduan, Mauritian and Chinese Directors of the Confucius Institute at University of Mauritius were also present at the event.
Speech by Mr Song Yongbo, Deputy Director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education
Mr Song Yongbo reviewed the history and current situation of the Chinese language education cooperation between China and Mauritius, and highlighted that teachers are the key to meet the growing demand for Chinese learning and improve the quality of Chinese teaching. To improve teaching ability of teachers, Mr Song Yongbo said that the Center will work with all parties in Mauritius to continuously deepen cooperation, continue to provide high-quality teaching resources, and promote the development of Chinese education in Mauritius and even Africa.
Speech by Mr Zheng Mengzhuang, President of Zhejiang Normal University
Mr Zheng Mengzhuang introduced Zhejiang Normal University’s exchanges and cooperation work with Africa in the field of international Chinese education. He pointed out that Zhejiang Normal University has a long-term and good educational cooperation relationship with Mauritius, and has dispatched Chinese teaching experts to guide and actively participate in the field of Chinese language education in Mauritius. Mr Zheng Mengzhuang emphasized that the university will focus on improving the quality of training and continue to help promote the development of Chinese language education in Mauritius.
Mrs Aneeta Ghoorah thanked the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education of China, Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, Zhejiang Normal University and Confucius Institute at the University of Mauritius for their support for Chinese education in Mauritius, and affirmed that Chinese education is a part of the multicultural system in Mauritius. It is expected that the local teachers participating in the training can benefit from the training and apply it to future teaching work, and achieve fruitful results.
Speech by Mrs Aneeta Ghoorah, Director of Primary School Department, Ministry of Education, Mauritius
Mrs Zhang Xinhong highlighted that 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mauritius. This training is of great significance as it is the first project since the renewal of the "Memorandum of Understanding on Educational Cooperation between China and Mauritius" in May 2022. Mrs Zhang Xinhong said that Chinese education will surely become a bridge in promoting exchanges between China and Mauritius, and lay a solid foundation for in-depth exchanges between the two countries in the fields of politics, economy, culture, science and technology.
Speech by Mrs Zhang Xinhong, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Mauritius
For the online training, the African Chinese Education Practice and Research Base of Zhejiang Normal University, in collaboration with the Confucius Institute at the University of Mauritius, designed a series of targeted courses according to the actual needs of local teachers and covered different Chinese language teaching aspects, course organization and design content. The African Chinese Education Practice and Research Base of Zhejiang Normal University has trained more than 700 local African Mandarin teachers in the past five years, and has become the main base in China for the training of Mandarin teachers in Africa. Since its establishment five years ago, the Confucius Institute at the University of Mauritius has actively carried out Chinese language teaching and cultural exchange activities in the local area, it has played an important role in promoting exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and Mauritian civilizations and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the people in two nations.