Fiji's education authorities are considering to introduce Mandarin Chinese into the Pacific island nation's educational curriculum, local website Fijivillage reported on Wednesday.
Mandarin Chinese may soon be taught in schools around the country, and the Education Ministry is pursuing the possibility and is working with the Chinese Embassy in Fiji to facilitate this proposal, says the report..
Introducing a commonly spoken language into Fiji's educational curriculum will be an advantage for students, Education Minister Filipe Bole was quoted as encouraging.
Meanwhile, primary and secondary schools in Fiji have indicated that their interest to include Mandarin Chinese as a language to be taught in their respective schools, according to the website.
Mandarin Chinese has been taught by teachers from China in the Chinese Fijians-run Yet Sen School both at primary and secondary levels. China has also set up a Confucius Institute in the Suva- based University of the South Pacific (USP) for the promotion of Mandarin Chinese in Fiji and other Pacific island countries and regions.
At present, all primary schools in Fiji are mandated to teach local iTaukei language and Hindi, while English is the compulsory subject for both primary and secondary schools.
