Vocabulary proves valuable in Sierra Leone school syllabus

FREETOWN－On Thursday, a Chinese vocabulary learning project in five primary schools in Sierra Leone was initiated in a bid to promote the Chinese language in the West African country.

The project, known as Small-Small Chinese, was started by Mariatu Kargbo, a local who has worked as an artist in China.

At the launch ceremony, she said the project will enable the school pupils to communicate in simple Chinese and find their way in society.

"The courses will enable them to speak with Chinese friends and have an advantage when they start formal Chinese lessons later, at the Confucius Institute or other schools," she says.

Sierra Leone's Deputy Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Emily Gogra lauds the initiative and suggests that it should be added to school syllabuses.

"Chinese is one of the world's most spoken languages. It is good that our children are now learning it," she says.

Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Hu Zhangliang describes the project as an important channel of Chinese teaching for the five primary schools.

He applauds the founder for her great efforts in promoting friendship and mutual understanding between China and Sierra Leone.

"With a good command of the Chinese language, one will find it easier to not only appreciate China's profound history, current development, and promising future, but also conduct all other kinds of exchanges with Chinese people," he adds.

Xinhua