Ministers of Education of Cuba and China exchange information and experiences

HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 6 (ACN) Cuban Minister of Education Ena Elsa Velázquez Cobiella held an online meeting on Tuesday with her Chinese counterpart, Huai Jimpeng, where they evaluated collaboration in digital transformation, teacher training and Chinese language teaching.

"I held an online meeting with the Chinese Minister of Education, Huai Jimpeng. We evaluated collaboration in digital transformation, teacher training and Chinese language teaching. #CubaEduca #SomosCuba #CubaVive @PresidenciaCuba @DiazCanelB @MINCEX_CUBA.", she shared on Twitter.

In another tweet, Velázquez Cobiella expressed that during the online conference the Chinese minister explained her country's priorities in the comprehensive training of children, adolescents and young people and the actions carried out in the pandemic stage.

"The Chinese Minister of Education, explained during the online conference we held, the priorities of his country in the comprehensive training of children, adolescents and young people and the actions carried out in the pandemic stage."

In 2020, the ministries of both countries signed a cooperation agreement to introduce Chinese as an optional second language in the island nation.

Since March 7 of this year, Chinese began to be taught as an optional language to 7th grade students of the Fructuoso Rodriguez Basic Secondary School in Havana, reported a note published in the Granma newspaper.

Also as part of the framework cooperation agreement, Cuba received 120 books, including exercise books, manuals, dictionaries and some traditional toys that will make the adolescents' learning viable.

The Cuban Ministry of Education clarified that the teaching of the new language will be a gradual process, and Chinese will not be part of the school curriculum (it is optional), as English is, according to Granma newspaper.

Havana and Beijing have an agreement for cooperation at various levels of education in Cuba, such as early childhood, special and technical-vocational education, which includes Chinese language classes, scholarships and exchange of information on these subjects.