中非之间紧密的关系是推动非洲教育发展的重要动力
文I梅勒妮·彼得斯 南非《周末守卫者报》记者 翻译I 褚骁骥 图片提供I梅勒妮·彼得斯
越来越多的非洲学生留学中国
根据一些评估，在全球范围内，平均每10个海外学生中就有一位来自非洲国家。从前，来自非洲国家的学生的主要留学目的地是英国、法国和美国。
然而，近年来，这一情况发生了改变。在其中的众多原因中，中国大学在世界大学中排名的上升是其中的一个主要原因。此外，随着中非关系的加强，越来越多的学生申请到中国留学，中国也越来越多地被视为非洲大陆的发展方向。
据联合国教科文组织统计研究所报告，美国和英国每年接待约4万名非洲学生。但在2014年，在中国的非洲留学生的人数超过了这个数字，成为仅次于法国的接待非洲留学生人数最多的国家，其人数仅次于法国的95000名学生。
一些教育专家认为，每年前往中国的非洲学生的数量比世界上其他任何地方前往中国的学生数量都要多。中非之间紧密的关系是推动非洲教育发展的重要动力。
中国教育援助走进非洲
中国的教育是世界上最大的教育体系之一，随着中国经济实力的增强，其在全球范围内的教育影响力也在不断增加。
特别是在非洲，中国的教育援助正在培养下一代非洲大陆的顶尖学者和精英。
中国这个来自亚洲的巨人通过提供财政援助、培训和奖学金，为非洲大陆的教育事业做出了巨大的贡献。
一份题为“2015年全球监测报告，教育：成就和挑战”的联合国教育报告，专门研究了中国对发展中国家和非洲国家在教育层面上的援助。该报告指出，中国对非洲国家的教育援助包括五个方面:高等教育，主要通过为非洲学生提供奖学金以及和当地的大学建立伙伴关系的方式完成; 职业培训，主要内容是提供教师培训; 在发展中国家建立教育援助机构以及委派汉语教学志愿者; 帮助非洲国家修建学校以及提供教材；和多边组织在教育和培训方面进行合作。近年来，中国的大学奖学金和职业培训项目正急剧增长，在发展中国家的汉语教学也在不断发展。以上三个方面构成了中国教育援助的主体部分。
在2015年12月南非约翰内斯堡举办的中非合作论坛上，习近平主席宣布将会在2018年前为非洲国家提供600亿美元的经济援助以及贷款。
“在过去的十年里，中国已经成为非洲最大的贸易伙伴，”大学世界新闻网报道说。“双方的贸易额也在大幅增长，从2000年的100亿美元增长到2012年的逾198亿美元。中国与非洲的合作近年来不断扩大，包括中非高等教育合作、学术交流和学生交流。”该报道补充说。
习近平主席在约翰内斯堡的中非合作论坛上宣布了一系列教育举措。其中包括在中国为非洲学生创造4万个培训机会以及为3万名非洲学生提供奖学金的举措。
习近平主席还宣布了在非洲建立职业培训中心和大学的计划，目标是为20万非洲技术人员提供职业培训。此外，中国还将进一步扩大对来访学者和学生的支持，目标是每年邀请200名非洲学者访问中国和500名非洲青年赴华学习。
非洲联盟委员会副主席里亚斯塔斯·姆温查在当时接受新华社采访时说：“习近平主席的演讲进一步提升了中非之间的关系。”
“他（习近平主席）强调，我们与中国的合作进入了一个新的阶段，这是值得称赞的。习近平主席讲话中最激动人心的部分是他宣布给予非洲国家600亿美元的经济援助以及贷款来帮助发展非洲国家解决其在经济发展中遇到的如基础设施薄弱，医疗卫生以及社会安全方面所面临的挑战。”姆温查补充道。
在最近的一次新闻发布会上，来自中国教育部的官员对来自非洲的记者说，在华非洲学生的平均增长率已经达到了35%。根据来自中国教育部的统计，2005年至2015年期间，在中国的非洲学生人数从2757人增至近5万人。然而，在中国学习的南非学生的数量却是微不足道的，只有2299名南非学生在华学习，其中只有146人获得了奖学金。
近20所中国大学与非洲国家的同行建立了伙伴关系。例如,在本世纪初，约有400名中国教师被派往埃塞俄比亚的农业和职业学院，在这其中许多人来自天津职业技术师范大学,这所学校在中国建立了第一个非洲职业教育研究中心。2009年，埃塞—中国职业技术学院在埃塞俄比亚正式运营，中国一次性提供了1500万美元的援助。天津职业技术师范大学也帮助培训工作人员。
同样在喀麦隆，浙江师范大学为雅温德大学提供了师资、语言实验室、短期和长期培训项目，以及进行联合研究的基金和交流项目。
此外，南非的许多大学也和中国的几所教育机构达成了协议，这些学校包括北京理工大学、湖南师范大学、南京审计大学和北京大学。
这些机构和学生从中国获得的经验可以转化为与中国开展合作的意愿，并且在未来，他们会对中国的内政和外交持有积极的看法。由于中国是非洲最大的贸易伙伴，越来越多的中国公司也已经进入了非洲市场，学习中国的经验也会对未来的求职者有所帮助。
此外，中国也通过在非洲开办孔子学院来投资非洲教育，孔子学院的名字来源于中国最伟大的哲学家—孔子。
在最近出版的中国监测中，斯特伦博斯中国研究中心临时主任Scarlett Cornelissen教授，认为基于中国在非洲日益增加的经济以及外交影响力，孔子学院起到了一个有力的补充作用，来提高中非之间的文化交流水平。
在非洲各地，有越来越多的孔子学院正致力于传播中文以及中国文化。这些中国政府支持的机构与世界各地的当地大学或学院开展合作。
汉语进一步融入南非教育
南非是中国在非洲国家中开办孔子学院和孔子课程最多的国家。在中国在非洲一共开办的48所孔子学院以及27个孔子课程中，南非分别开办了10所孔子学院以及10个孔子课程。
据新华社报道，目前已有3100名南非的中小学生在学习汉语。
去年，南非共有44所学校推出了普通话课程，南非基础教育部部长Angie Motshekga向国会保证今后将有更多的学校开展汉语普通话课程。
根据Motshekga的报告，在南非，在未来5年内将有500所学校将普通话作为外语学习。
600名教师也将在未来5年接受为期三周的培训课程，该课程由全球汉语教师教育学院提供。
根据南非基础教育部提供的数据显示，从去年1月开始，中文普通话教学正在南非4至9年级和10年级的学生中逐步开展，而在2017年和2018年这一范围将分别扩大到11年级和12年级。
在南非基础教育部发表的一份声明中，Motshekga说，中国政府将派遣中国教师到南非，以帮助在学校教授普通话，并捐赠2000本教科书，直到南非国内能够编写出适合教学使用的中文教科书。
中国政府还承诺组织专家编写适合南非本国情况的汉语教科书。在接下来的四年里中国每年还将派遣100名教师和志愿者指导和支持当地的汉语教师,并且每年通过当地的孔子学院培训200名当地的汉语教师。
中国政府还为南非提供了两项在中国接受教学资格课程的全额奖学金，并派出了一名汉语教师，负责在南非学校开设汉语教学系统。
中文普通话教学目前也在其他南部非洲国家开展。数百名南部非洲的教师正在接受孔子学院的培训，旨在促进中国文化在当地的发展。
许多教育专家们都认为，考虑到中国的国力和商业活动范围，学习中文不仅有帮助，而且也符合逻辑。
在过去的几年里，非洲的大部分地区都在努力将汉语和中国文化加入到当地的课程中。这其中，在乌干达和津巴布韦，当地都将中文当做一种可供选修的语言。肯尼亚也在考虑采取类似举措，将普通话作为第二语言进行学习。如果这些项目能够获得回报的话，将有更多的中文项目出现在非洲，而中国也会加大对非洲国家的援助力度。（编辑：常浩）
Education Cooperation Between China and South Africa
By Melanie Peters, Journalist Independent Media, Weekend Argus, South Africa; Photo by Melanie Peters
According to some estimates, students fromAfrica account for more than one in 10 studying abroad. Previously theiruniversities of choice were in the UK, France and the US.
However, in recent years trends havechanged. There are a number of reasons, including China’s marked improvedstatus among world universities. And as Sino-African ties strengthen and Chinais increasingly seen as the continent’s lodestar with more students applying tostudying in the East.
The UNESCO Institute for Statisticsreported that the US and UK hosted around 40,000 African students a year. Butin 2014, China surpassed this number, making it the second most populardestination for African students studying abroad, after France which hosts justover 95,000 students.
Education experts say more African studentswere travelling to China each year than students from anywhere else in theworld. This tied into China upholding its pledge towards African educationdevelopment.
China has one of the biggest educationalsystems in the world and as the country’s economic might strengthens, so doesits influence on global education.
In Africa specifically, China’s educationalaid is cultivating the next generation of the continent’s leading scholars andelites.
The Asian giant is and continues to make aconsiderable contribution to education on the continent through financial aid,training and scholarships.
A report commissioned on Education for alland the United Nations named “Global Monitoring Report 2015, Education for All:Achievements and Challenges” researched China’s education aid to developingcountries and Africa, specifically. Thereport said China’s education aid included five areas: higher education -primarily scholarships and university partnerships; vocational training,including teacher training; Chinese language instruction in developingcountries through institutional support and volunteer teachers; schoolconstruction and educational materials; and collaboration with multilateralorganizations on education and training. In recent years, China’s universityscholarships and vocational training programs have grown sharply, as hasChinese-language instruction in developing countries. These three are thelargest elements in China’s education aid.
The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, heldin Johannesburg in December 2015, saw Chinese President Xi Jinping announceUS$60 billion in funding and loan support for the continent until 2018.
“Chinahas emerged as Africa’s largest trading partner over the past decade,”University World News reported. “Trade volumes between the two rosesignificantly, from US$10 billion in 2000 to more than US$198 billion in 2012.Collaboration between China and Africa has recently been expanding to includehigher education collaboration between Chinese and African universities, andacademic and student exchange,” it added.
President Xi announced a series ofeducation initiatives at the Johannesburg conference. These included thecreation of 40,000 training opportunities in China and 30,000 scholarships forAfrican students.
The President also announced plans for anetwork of vocational training centres and colleges in Africa, with the targetof training 200,000 African technicians. China would further expand its supportfor visiting scholars and students under these plans as well, with the goal ofinviting 200 African scholars to visit China and 500 African youths to study inChina each year.
“PresidentXi Jinping delivered a speech that raised the bar in China-Africa cooperation,”Erastus Mwencha, vice-chairman of the African Union Commission, told the XinhuaNews Agency at the time.
“Heemphasised that our cooperation with China has entered a new phase and this iscommendable. The most captivating part of President Xi Jinping’s speech was theannouncement of 60 billion dollars grant and concessional loans to assistAfrican countries address a number of challenges like infrastructure, healthand security,” added Mwencha.
At a recent press conference, officialsfrom China’s Ministry of Education told journalists from Africa, the growthrate of international students has seen a striking 35 percent annual increaseon average. Between 2005 and 2015, the department reported that the number ofAfrica students in China rose from 2 757 to close to 50,000. The number ofSouth Africans studying in Chins were marginal though, they accounted for only2299 of the student population with 146 awarded scholarships.
Close to 20 Chinese universities have alsoestablished partnerships with counterparts in African countries. For example ，in early2000s, some 400 Chinese teachers were sent to Ethiopia’s agricultural andvocational colleges, many from the Tianjin University of Technology andEducation which also established the first Centre for African VocationalEducational Studies in China to provide training. In 2009 the Ethio-ChinaPolytechnic College was opened in Ethiopia, supported by a one-time provisionof US$15 million from China’s aid budget. Tianjin University helped train andstaff the college.
Similarly in Cameroon, Zhejiang NormalUniversity provided the country’s Yaounde I University with teachers, alanguage laboratory, staff for short and long-term training programs, as wellas fund joint research and exchange programs.
In addition, South African universitieshave agreements with several education institutions in China including BeijingInstitute of Technology, Hunan Normal University, Nanjing Audit University andPeking University.
The experience that these institutions andstudents get from China can translate into a willingness to work with Beijingand view the country’s internal or external policies favourably in the future.Since China is many countries biggest trade partner in Africa and more Chinese-runcompanies are opening their doors on the continent, an academic certificatefrom China may work to the advantage of the possible job-seekers.
China has also invested in education on theAfrican continent setting up Confucius Institutes, named after China's mostfamous philosopher.
In the publication China Monitor, ProfessorScarlett Cornelissen, interim director of the Centre for Chinese Studies atStellenbosch, wrote that given the country’s increased economic and diplomaticpresence in Africa, Confucius Institutes "play a key complementary role toenhance collaboration, exchange and knowledge".
Across Africa there are a growing number ofConfucius Institutes which seek to teach people Chinese language skills andcultural norms. These Chinese government-supported institutes run inpartnership with local colleges or universities around the world.
South Africa has 10 Confucius Institutesand Confucius Classes, the highest number in Africa, which hosts a total of 48Confucius Institutes and 27 Confucius Classes.
So far 3100 primary and secondary schoolpupils are studying Chinese in South Africa, according to Xinhua news agency.
A total number of 44 schools across SouthAfrica introduced Mandarin to their curriculum last year, Basic EducationMinister Angie Motshekga told Parliament and promised more schools would followsuit.
A total number of 500 schools in SouthAfrica would offer Mandarin as a second additional language in the next fiveyears, according to Motshekga.
Ultimately 600 teachers would be trainedover the next five years. The teachers would undergo a three-week trainingprogramme, which is sponsored by the Institute of Global Chinese LanguageTeacher Education.
The roll-out of Mandarin teaching wasincrementally implemented in schools with Grades 4-9 and 10 in January lastyear, followed by Grade 11 in 2017 and Grade 12 in 2018, according to theDepartment of Basic Education.
In a previous statement issued by the BasicEducation department, Motshekga said theChinese government will send Chinese teachers to South Africa and donate 2,000textbooks to assist in teaching Mandarin in schools until a South Africantextbook is developed.
The Chinese government also committed toorganise experts to compile Chinese language textbooks that were suited toSouth African conditions; send 100 teachers and volunteers every year for thenext four years to mentor and support local teachers of Mandarin, train 200local Chinese language teachers each year for the next four years through localConfucius Institutes.
The Chinese government also offered twoscholarships for full teaching qualifications in China and has sent a Chineselanguage advisor to work on setting up systems for introduction of teaching ofChinese language in South African schools.
Mandarin is currently taught in othersouthern African countries. Hundreds of South African teachers are also beingtrained at Confucius Institutes designed to promote Chinese culture.
Education experts believe from a vantagepoint – given the size and commercial scope of China- it will not only bebeneficial for pupils to learn the language of one of the world’s superpowersbut was a logical too.
Much of Africa has, in the past couple ofyears, pushed to get more Chinese language and culture into nationaleducational curricula. This includes Uganda and Zimbabwe who have made it anoptional language. Kenya is also considering similar moves, with Mandarin to beoffered as a second language. If these initial programs reap dividends, moreMandarin programs will increase across the continent with Chinese aid.