UK leader tells schools - teach Mandarin, not French
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Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron is implementing a big change in the languages taught in UK schools. On a visit to China, he told journalists that British schools should teach Mandarin instead of French and German. He told his hosts that he plans to double the number of students studying Chinese in British schools to 400,000 in the next three years. He will also provide subsidies to schools that start teaching Mandarin. He believes stronger educational ties with China are a necessary element in keeping Britain competitive in the Chinese market. He said: "I want Britain linked up to the world's fast-growing economies, and that includes our young people learning the languages to seal tomorrow's business deals."
Mr Cameron explained to journalists the importance of introducing Mandarin in UK schools. He said: "By the time the children born today leave school, China is set to be the world's largest economy, so it's time to look beyond the traditional focus on French and German and get many more children learning Mandarin." The initiative includes a tie-up with the British Council and the Chinese office for teaching Mandarin as a foreign language. They have already signed an agreement to double the number of Chinese language assistants in UK schools. The British Council puts Mandarin in the top five most important languages for British children to study to improve their job prospects.
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