China News Service, London, December 21 (Xinhua) -- How to focus on the development of Chinese education in the United Kingdom?
Interview with Wu Shanxiong, founder of the British Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education.
China News Service reporter Ouyang Kaiyu.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the British Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education, and as the founder of the association, Wu Shanxiong has traveled all over the world to vigorously improve the level of Chinese education. Recently, Wu Shanxiong was interviewed by China News Service's "East-West Question" to share the story of the development of Chinese education in the UK.
The transcript of the interview is summarized below
China News Service: Thirty years ago, the British Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education was founded. What was the development of Chinese education in the UK at that time?What was the original intention of the establishment of the Promotion Association?
Ng Sin Hung: Thirty years ago, Chinese education in the UK was run by Hong Kong English**, and both Cantonese and traditional Chinese characters were taught. There were only about 40 Chinese schools that year. The textbooks used in the Chinese school are all traditional Chinese textbooks from Hong Kong, which are very colonial, focusing on teaching students to listen, speak, read and write Chinese characters. There is a lack of information about Chinese culture and history. The teaching team is mainly based on parents, with enthusiasm and love, and runs Chinese schools under the model of "teaching as much as you know".
to promote Chinese culture in the UK and retain the roots of China for the children of overseas Chinese", this original intention is the source of power for the promotion association in the future. In June 1993, together with a group of like-minded overseas Chinese leaders and insightful people, I founded the British Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education, a non-profit voluntary organization. Since its establishment, the Association has taken serving overseas Chinese community Chinese schools as its own responsibility, with the mission of improving the quality and social status of overseas Chinese language teaching, with the unswerving direction of encouraging Chinese teenagers to learn Chinese language and culture, and with the ultimate goal of stimulating their Chinese heart. At the same time, it will contact people who are enthusiastic about education in the UK to carry out teaching exchanges, improve the teaching level of Chinese schools, and promote the healthy development of Chinese education in the UK.
In June 2023, the 22nd "Chinese Bridge" International University Student Chinese Competition 2023 was held in London. Photo by Ouyang Kaiyu.
China News Service: Over the past 30 years, what achievements has the British Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education achieved in promoting Chinese education?
Wu Shanxiong: In October 2023, the British Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education held a grand celebration in London, reviewing the 30 years of development from scratch, from small to large, from weak to strong. In the past 30 years, the Association has done a lot of work in promoting the development of Chinese education in the UK, and has played an active role in promoting the development of overseas Chinese education in Europe and the world. The Association carries out various activities through a variety of modes such as hosting, undertaking and co-organizing.
The promotion association will focus on the following aspects to play a guiding and exemplary role: focus on improving the school principal's school philosophy and overall school management level, improve teachers' professional education and teaching skills, and provide a broad stage and opportunity for the majority of students to learn traditional and classic Chinese culture and display their learning results. In addition, the Association has also continuously improved its organizational structure, which has played a strong role as a link and bridge for the overall development of Chinese education in the UK and the achievement of great progress. Through the integration of resources, we will promote exchanges and cooperation between Chinese schools, promote the development of weak schools, and help implement the "three modernizations", that is, the regularization of school running, the specialization of teachers, and the standardization of teaching, and try to promote the "unified examination" of Chinese schools in the UK. Summing up the development of the past 30 years, the Association has developed into a base for the incubation and training of Chinese education in the UK, a platform for win-win cooperation, and a link for exchange and development. The Association will, as always, integrate educational resources, enhance exchanges and cooperation, activate educational potential, form a joint force for development, and promote the high-quality development of Chinese schools.
In October 2017, children performed Chinese programs at the 10th anniversary celebration ceremony of London Hello Chinese School. Photo by Zhang Ping.
China News Service: What is the special significance of the development of Chinese education for the development of China-UK relations and the development of the Chinese community?
Wu Shanxiong: The friendship between the countries lies in the people-to-people relationship, and the root of the people-to-people relationship lies in the cultural integration. In terms of its own attributes, overseas Chinese education has a dual function: first, it has the role of demonstrating, displaying and promoting traditional Chinese culture for non-Chinese communities and mainstream society;Second, for the Chinese community, it has the significance of finding the roots of Chinese blood, guarding Chinese genes, and ensuring continuous inheritance. In fact, this highlights the value and importance of the development of Chinese education. With the rapid development of China in all aspects and the improvement of comprehensive national strength, the number of overseas Chinese has gradually increased, and overseas Chinese education has become more and more in demand. The development of Chinese schools, especially the development of various cultural activities, is gradually becoming a window for the mainstream society to understand Chinese culture. In this sense, the development of Chinese education overseas is of great significance to promoting the integration of Chinese and British cultures, and thus has a sustainable and irreplaceable fundamental role in promoting the development of relations between China and the UK at all levels.
In February 2013, the "Cultural China, Spring in the World" art troupe organized by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of China performed at the Lyceum Theatre in London to celebrate the Spring Festival with local overseas Chinese. Photo by Zhou Zhaojun.
China News Service: Not long ago, when you participated in an event, you said that the Chinese education in the UK should be "30 years old".
Wu Shanxiong: The British Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education has experienced 30 years of development, witnessing and leading the development of Chinese education in the UK in the past 30 years. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Promotion Association, I proposed that Chinese education should be "established at 30". Looking back on the development process of the school, I experienced the difficulties in the initial stage, endured the pressure and challenges in the process of growth, and felt the success and joy brought by the development. It's like a toddler who has been babbling and toddler in the age of standing. I quote the saying of "standing at thirty" in the Analects to imply that Chinese education in the UK has the momentum, strength and ability to stand up, and it is natural to forge ahead without distractions, face difficulties, and aspire to high-quality development. At the same time, we should keep the original intention, take the lead in setting an example, bravely shoulder heavy burdens, and strive to be a base for Chinese education incubation and training, a platform for cooperation and sharing, and a link for exchange and development with a more mature and stable attitude.
In October 2023, the 23rd British Chinese Teachers' Day Celebration Ceremony and Outstanding Teacher Recognition Conference was held in London. Photo courtesy of the interviewee.
China News Service: What are the new challenges to the development of Chinese education in the UK?
Wu Shanxiong: Development is achieved in the process of resolving contradictions and conflicts. Overseas Chinese education is no exception. To put it simply, the current challenges of Chinese education can be summarized as follows: First, how to solve the contradiction between quantity increase and quality improvement?Second, how to make good use of the advantages of market resources to meet the challenges of the market?Third, how to reposition Chinese education and achieve high-quality development of education by establishing brand awareness and diversified development models?
The number of Chinese schools and the number of students is gradually increasing, and Chinese education is gradually becoming a rigid demand of the Chinese community overseas, so it has the prerequisites for marketization, and its concentrated performance is that capital is rapidly penetrating into the field of overseas Chinese education, and various Chinese education brands have sprung up in the online world. The process of actively facing challenges and winning challenges is also an opportunity for overseas Chinese education to achieve rebirth and phoenix nirvana.
On May 11, 2023, the 2023 "International Chinese Day" UK theme event was held in London. Photo by Ouyang Kaiyu.
China News Service: What are the new trends in the development of Chinese education in the UK?How to promote the development of this cause in the future?
Wu Shanxiong: Judging from the current development trend, Chinese education in the UK is showing a strong momentum of development. First of all, the number of Chinese schools and the number of registered students are growing steadily, and the scale effect is becoming more and more apparentSecondly, by organizing many principal forums and seminars and actively promoting the implementation of the "Three Modernizations", the Promotion Association has created a good atmosphere, and has taken the "Three Modernizations" as the starting point to comprehensively improve the quality of Chinese education, which is becoming the consensus in British Chinese schools. The Association will continue to make unremitting efforts to promote and implement the construction of "three modernizations", create conditions for the development of English and Chinese education, and provide support. To do it is not only to send charcoal in the snow, but also to add icing on the cake.
At the same time, it promotes the development of Chinese education and meets various challenges. From the perspective of the school itself, we need to reposition ourselves and tap our own potentialIt is necessary to make full use of the advantages of market resources and strengthen the awareness of education brandIt is necessary to take Chinese education as the core, diversify the school-running and development model, and improve the high added value of education service products. At present, the new trend of global Chinese education is a good time for us to embrace new technologies, to meet new challenges, to achieve school transformation, and to redefine the future. (ENDS).
Interviewee Profile:
Wu Shanxiong, founder of the British Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education. Photo courtesy of the interviewee.
Wu Shanxiong, originally from Shunde, Guangdong, moved to the United Kingdom in 1968, and in 1990, he became the head of the Newcastle New China Society, and founded the first Chinese nursing home in the North East of England. In 1992, he served as the secretary of the Federation of British Chinese AssociationsIn 1993, he became the president of Newcastle Chinese School, and in June of the same year, he founded the British Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education. Ng is committed to Chinese education and promoting the introduction of Chinese as a key foreign language curriculum in British secondary schools. In 1999, he was awarded the title of "Outstanding Chinese Education Worker" by the Overseas Chinese Affairs OfficeIn 2014, he was awarded the title of the third "Light of China - Person of the Year for Spreading Chinese Culture".From 1984 to 2019, he was continuously invited to watch the military parade during the National Day. Ng is committed to education and public welfare in the UK, and has made outstanding contributions in the fields of cancer** and children**. In 2000, the Queen of England awarded him the MBE of the Order of the British Empire. In 2013, he was awarded the Mayor's Honour Award from Newcastle. He has served as a director of Baishun Travel Agency, a consultant manager of Berkeley Bank, a trustee of Newcastle University, the chairman of Newcastle Chinese School, the secretary general of the Federation of British Chinese Associations, the permanent honorary president of Newcastle Chinese News Agency, the president of the British Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education, the president of the British Shunde Friendship Association, and the vice president of the World Shunde Friendship Association.