Teaching Mandarin:

When Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao entered Tagore International School during a visit to India in December 2010, students there greeted Jiabao in his native language: Mandarin. Within days, Indias Central Board of School Education (CBSE) had announced that "in view of China emerging as one of the major global economies and Mandarin being spoken by a large population of the world, the Board is set to launch Chinese in class VI from April 2011". Not to be left (too far) behind, the government of Sindh has announced plans to launch Mandarin as a compulsory subject in the province from the year 2013. Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah revealed on Sunday that the language will be taught to sixth graders at Cadet College Petaro from this year, as an experiment. The provincial government is already planning a host of incentives to encourage students in this endeavour including scholarships and trips abroad. However, officials admit that so far talks have only been held on the governmental level and that the establishment of a course of study and other particulars will be meted out in due course. As an all-weather ally of Pakistan and the emerging economic powerhouse of the world, China is a treasure trove for Pakistans businessmen and professionals alike. "More and more businessmen have started to realize the importance of Mandarin in improving trade ties with Chinese counterparts." says Lahore-based Mandarin instructor Lampson Lee, who has seen throngs of students signing up to learn the worlds most commonly spoken dialect. But the development of a curriculum and ensuring its proper dissemination to students will prove a Herculean task, especially given the dismal standards of Arabic or even Urdu and English taught in educational institutions here. The quality of delivery in the case of provincial languages is also found wanting. "Contrary to common belief, 12 or 13 year-olds can pick up the language fairly quickly," contends Lee but he cautions that "while learning to speak is relatively easy, learning to write the language requires arduous training and years of concentration". Teachers and instructors who have to ensure that students receive a basic introduction to Mandarin as well as Chinese culture will require prior training. Given the lack of teacher resource centres and training facilities, this will be easier said than done. The Chinese government has itself sponsored Confucius Institutes across the world, in a bid to promote a softer image of the country as well as to bridge cultural differences with other nations. The Confucius Institute in Islamabad can be a valuable resource in the endeavour but at present, this institution has no presence in Sindh. Left to its own devices, the provincial government would likely be incapable of successfully imparting knowledge of Mandarin by 2013. Instead, it will likely require the assistance of the federal government, as well the Chinese government and non-governmental organisations. As the rollercoaster ride of Western economies turns sinister, the future of trade and industry in the Orient appears bountiful. One hopes that Pakistans policymakers can introduce the countrys youth to the language of the future, before regional competitors leave them in the lurch.