Starting in mid-August, 175 Chinese language teachers will begin their careers in Saudi Arabia's elementary and intermediate schools. This marks the inaugural group of Mandarin educators in the country. Their deployment follows a 2023 agreement between China and Saudi Arabia aimed at strengthening cooperation in Chinese language education. These teachers have completed their pre-service training at Tianjin Normal University.
The training was organized by the university in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Education and the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under the Chinese Ministry of Education. According to Cankao Xiaoxi, a newspaper associated with Xinhua News Agency, Saudi Arabia will introduce Chinese language classes in its elementary schools.
The report reveals that China will deploy 800 Chinese language teachers to Saudi Arabia. It provides insights into the latest Chinese language teaching programs and job opportunities. Yaqin Talal A. Jebreen, a human resources specialist at Tatweer Co. and the primary organizer of the training, expressed gratitude to the center and the university for their efforts in coordinating the program.
“The successful completion of the pre-service training for the first batch of Chinese teachers who are about to go to Saudi Arabia is a reflection of the solid partnership and fruitful cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China. And I believe these teachers’ fulfillment of the jobs will set a brand-new beginning for China-Saudi Arabia educational cooperation”, she said.
Liu Xiaoting, a representative who spoke for the 175 teachers, said, “We are grateful for such a valuable training opportunity and ambitious to contribute to Chinese language education in Saudi Arabia soon". The year marks the 60th anniversary of Tianjin Normal University's international Chinese education initiatives, along with the 20th anniversary of its international Chinese teacher volunteer service.
Qu Kai, a university official, stated that their efforts have produced over 60,000 international students proficient in Chinese language and culture. He also mentioned that the university will continue to enhance China-Saudi Arabia cooperation in international Chinese education by offering improved training services for both students and teachers.
