Nine Chinese teachers will leave for Britain at the end of August to start a one-year teacher exchange program, during which time 30 British teachers will be teaching in China, Tuesday's China Daily reports.
The Chinese group were sponsored by a three-year agreement reached between the Culture and Education Section of the British Consulate-general in Shanghai, and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission in June.
"There is a growing demand for education about China, both in language and culture," the report quotes Richard Everitt, consul of the education section, as saying.
In many schools in Britain, Chinese language has become a compulsory subject, and teachers are expected to teach not just the language, but also Chinese traditional arts, such as music, painting, calligraphy and martial arts, Everitt was quoted as saying.
"It is a good opportunity to learn different teaching systems and methods from a British school," the report also quotes Ni Minxue, a teacher from Shanghai High School, who will teach in a technological college in Britain.
"Besides language teaching, we teachers will act as cultural ambassadors, to satisfy British students' curiosity about China," Ni was quoted as saying.
According to Everitt, more teachers will be able to apply for the exchange and the agreement is sure to benefit both countries.
(Xinhua News Agency 08/28/2001)
