The Federal Government has officially added Mandarin, the Chinese language, to the list of foreign languages to be taught in senior secondary schools across Nigeria.
This development was announced on Tuesday by the Secretary of Education for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Danlami Hayyo, during the inauguration of the 14th “Chinese Corner” at Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, Abuja.
Dr. Hayyo explained that the decision followed the recent review of the national curriculum, which recognized Mandarin as one of the international languages available for students at the senior secondary level.
May I inform you that in the recent review of our curriculum, the Chinese language has been selected as one of the international languages to offer in senior secondary schools,” he stated.
The “Chinese Corner” project, sponsored by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), serves as both an educational and cultural hub, aimed at fostering closer ties between Nigeria and China through language learning and cultural exchange.
Education stakeholders present at the event noted that the inclusion of Mandarin in Nigeria’s curriculum would broaden students’ global opportunities, especially given China’s growing role in international trade, technology, and infrastructure development in Africa.
CCECC representatives also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting educational initiatives in Nigeria, stressing that cultural and language exchange is key to strengthening bilateral relations.
With this development, students across Nigeria will soon have the option to learn Mandarin alongside other international languages, including French and Arabic.