Kenya and China have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing collaboration in the field of education between the two countries.
The announcement was made during this year’s World Chinese Language Conference held in Beijing, which was attended by Kenyan government officials led by Beatrice Inyangala, Principal Secretary in the State Department of Higher Education.
Describing the MoU as a historic milestone, the Principal Secretary stated that the agreement between the ministries of education from both countries represents a significant step towards improving the teaching and learning of the Chinese language in Kenya, promoting research, and fostering cultural exchanges.
“With this new MoU, Kenyan universities will partner with Chinese institutions in fields such as education and engineering. This collaboration will promote innovative research, teacher training, and student exchanges, thereby strengthening our global ties,” Inyangala stated.
According to the Principal Secretary, the Chinese language is strengthening both the social fabric and the economic and trade relationships between China and Kenya. She highlighted the increasing interest in Chinese culture and language among Kenyans as evidence of this trend.
She noted that the increasing presence of Chinese companies and investments in various key sectors in Kenya has led many locals to pursue training in Chinese to enhance their employment prospects.
Inyangala attributed this positive shift to the role played by the Confucius Institutes in Kenya, particularly in providing resources, training, and support for the implementation of Chinese language programmes, thereby fostering a vibrant cultural connection between the two countries.
“Twenty years ago, the Ministry of Education in Kenya and China signed an agreement to establish Africa’s very first Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, a development of which we are truly proud. This historic milestone marked the beginning of a flourishing era for international Chinese education in Kenya and across the African continent,” she said.
Since their establishment, Inyangala noted that Chinese and Kenyan universities have forged strong ties, exemplified by the ongoing partnership between the University of Nairobi and Tianjin Normal University, as well as the establishment of three additional Confucius Institutes in Kenya at Kenyatta, Egerton, and Moi universities.
“Together, we have seen over 100,000 Kenyan students embrace the study of Chinese, opening new avenues and transforming countless futures,” she told the gathering of Global Confucius Institutes delegates.
“It is through the international Chinese language teachers’ scholarships that more than 1,000 selected Kenyan students have studied in China and returned as accomplished educators in Kenya,” she added.
The Principal Secretary expressed optimism that the Confucius Institutes will continue to build bridges of friendship and understanding for decades to come amid efforts to make the world a better place to live.
“The Confucius Institutes are not just about teaching the Chinese language; they are about fostering cultural exchange. They serve as a bridge connecting our societies, enriching both Kenya and China through shared knowledge and mutual understanding,” she said.
