SAO TOME, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The enthusiasm for learning Chinese among young people in Sao Tome and Principe is increasing day by day, said Euridice Aguiar, rector of the University of Sao Tome and Principe (USTP), on Thursday in the country's capital.
Speaking to Xinhua after an event organized by the Confucius Institute at the USTP ahead of the United Nations Chinese Language Day, Aguiar said that with the deepening cooperation between China and Africa, as well as China and Sao Tome and Principe, the interest in learning Chinese has been growing.
Learning Chinese could lead to positive career outcomes for students, Aguiar said. "Many Chinese companies are thriving in Africa, and students in Sao Tome and Principe hope that learning Chinese will facilitate their entry into these companies," she said.
She also mentioned that the USTP is in the process of establishing a department of Chinese language and culture and is currently reviewing the curriculum plans. "The course has not yet been launched, but we are working on everything we agreed upon for the opening of this course."
Students showcased Chinese songs and dance performances during the event at the National Lyceum of Sao Tome and Principe. The ceremony also included the distribution of certificates to successful candidates of the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK). Additionally, four Chinese-learning games were organized, attracting the attention of numerous middle school students.
Ruth Ponte, a student at the Institute of Health Sciences Vitor Sa Machado at the USTP, was awarded for participating in a singing competition in China last year. She told Xinhua that her initial interest in learning Chinese was driven by curiosity, but she never imagined that mastering the language could greatly help her career development.
"Because I understand Chinese, I have worked as a translator for the Chinese medical team in Sao Tome and Principe and have had the opportunity to interact with excellent Chinese doctors. The academic and career development opportunities brought by learning Chinese were beyond my initial imagination," she said.
Su Yimei, director of the Confucius Institute at the USTP, said that Sao Tome and Principe, with a population of just over 200,000, had more than 100 people registering for the HSK exam in the first quarter of this year. The Confucius Institute at USTP was established in 2019 and has set up five teaching points nationwide, including at the USTP and National Lyceum. ■
