He called on the state government to review the move, stressing that it would be a waste of resources to include the Chinese language in the school curriculum.
The PUNCH reports that the Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ehwrudjakpo, had disclosed on January 25, 2024, that the Diri-led administration was working on plans to make the teaching and learning of the Ijaw, French and Chinese languages as well as science and mathematics a priority in public schools in the state.
The government claimed that the growing economic influence of China in global affairs as a major state actor in world trade and commerce justified the inclusion of Chinese as a subject in the school curriculum.
However, Eradiri said although there was nothing wrong with learning a new language, such knowledge should only be introduced after a needs assessment had been carried out to determine its importance to the state and the people.
He argued that there were no political, cultural, or bilateral relationships between Bayelsa and China to warrant making the Chinese language a priority for learning in Bayelsa schools.
He said there was no projection in the future that there would be an influx of the people of China to Bayelsa either for trade or tourism to earmark the state’s resources teaching the Chinese language in schools.
The former commissioner in Bayelsa observed that even the state’s Cargo Airport, which should have acted as a catalyst, in the long run, to directly create bilateral opportunities between Bayelsa and China, had become dysfunctional.
He said, “Without bilateral trades, cultural, political and tourism relationship between Bayelsa and China, introducing the Chinese Language in schools’ curriculum will not just be a waste of time and resources, but also an indication that we lack knowledge of trending issues.
“Beyond saying that such move was in view of China’s global economic impact, the state government should explain to us whether it is cultivating a special bilateral relationship with China. Are we expecting the influx of Chinese people in Bayelsa in the near future, maybe in the hospitality and tourism sector?”
Eradiri stated that instead, deliberate efforts should be made to review the curriculum and introduce globally-acceptable trending programmes with endless opportunities and realities.
According to him, the world is already moving towards Artificial Intelligence, robotics, coding, Information and Communication Technology, and agriculture with emphasis on areas of economic advantage, and the Bayelsa Government should follow such trends.
Eradiri said, “We do not believe that the government should waste resources teaching Chinese in our schools. The world is moving towards Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Coding, ICT, and Agriculture, and we think the government should concern itself about introducing and emphasizing such trends in our school curriculum.
“Bayelsa children should join their colleagues around the world to compete favourably in the new knowledge brought about by science and technology and not join a group of foreign language speakers without purpose and direction.
“Bayelsa Government should think of reviewing its curriculum and budget to harp on agriculture with particular emphasis on the state’s economic comparative advantage like rice production. Such areas will make a better impact and create endless opportunities for youths.”
