Students in Nigeria’s senior secondary schools will soon learn Mandarin, following its official inclusion in the national curriculum.
The development was confirmed on Tuesday by Dr. Danlami Hayyo, Secretary of Education for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), during the launch of the 14th Chinese Corner at Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, Abuja.
According to Dr. Hayyo, the decision reflects Nigeria’s readiness to prepare its youth for global opportunities in business, tourism, and international relations.
“The FCT has been very forward-thinking in introducing Chinese education early enough through these Corners,” he said.
“Chinese Mandarin has the largest number of speakers in the world. Our decision to delve into Chinese language and culture is a wise move.”
The Chinese Corner initiative is sponsored by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) as part of its corporate social responsibility.
It provides students access to learning resources, cultural exchange programmes, and even scholarships to study in China.
Yang Jianxing, Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, described the programme as a bridge between both nations.
“The Chinese Corners serve as a link connecting Chinese and Nigerian cultures, a bridge bringing young people closer together,” Jianxing said.
The newly inaugurated centre is the 14th in the FCT and adds to a growing network designed to promote cultural understanding.
Two additional Corners are already in development with support from Chinese companies operating in Nigeria.
Dr. Muhammed Ladan, Director/Secretary of the FCT Secondary Education Board, recalled that the first Corner was launched in 2013 at GSS Garki.
Since then, more centres have been added, offering students unique exposure to Mandarin and Chinese cultural practices.
The Federal Government’s revised Basic and Senior Secondary Education Curriculum, which begins in the 2025/2026 session, now formally recognizes Mandarin as an optional subject alongside French and Arabic.
To boost the initiative, the Chinese Embassy recently donated 15 sets of teaching materials and cultural books.
These resources will help schools roll out Mandarin lessons more effectively across the country.
During the inauguration, Yang stressed that this milestone should be seen as the beginning of greater things.
“The inauguration of this Chinese Corner is not an end, but a new starting point for cultural exchanges between China and Nigeria,” he said.
It’s a good initiative but when our language is referred to as vernacular, we are hypocrites