Grace Schools Administrator Highlights Cultural Exchange Benefits Between Nigeria, China
Mary Nnah
The Administrator, Grace Schools, Lagos, Mrs Olatokunbo Edun has underscored the need to deepen the cultural exchange between Nigeria and China, noting that there were enormous benefits derivable from promoting cross-cultural exchanges between both countries.
Speaking during a roundtable discourse tagged: “China Modernisation and Poverty Alleviation Policies: Lessons for Nigeria”, organised by the African and Asian Researchers Association of Nigeria (AARAN), said that with China’s role in technology and infrastructural development, Nigeria has a lot to take advantage of.
Edun asserted that the promotion of foreign languages especially Chinese language has helped students of Grace Schools to be exposed through access to information and improved communication skills
Grace Schools according to her is the pioneer of Chinese teaching in Lagos with the adequate support of the Confucius Institute, University of Lagos.
She added that the cross-cultural exchange has helped in no small measure to boost the learning capabilities of the students in the Chinese language. This has been achievable through vigorous teaching, study exchange visits to China and intensive learning of the Chinese language.
The Consul of the Consulate General of the Chinese Consulate in Lagos, Mr Liang Benbin, emphasised the need for Nigeria to learn from the workable policies and strategies adopted by the Chinese government to develop its economy.
Benbin stated that China focuses more on the protection of the environment and the Education of her citizens.
China according to him, is focused on developing the economy and poverty alleviation while the citizens are provided social security to improve their living conditions.
He asserted further that education is the most effective way to lift people out of poverty. China also makes use of local resources to adequately develop its economy.
Benbin urged both governments to collaborate further on developing the economy and learning from the China experiment which has lifted 88 million people out of poverty through policies and programmes.
The Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute, University of Lagos, Professor Zhao Hongling said China has remained focused on developing the economy and also collaborating with other countries. He added that China has succeeded in developing the economy through the Education of the people and providing the skills needed to excel in their chosen fields of human endeavour.
