The Sindh government has not yet been able to launch the 'introduction of Chinese language programme' in schools and colleges across the province even after more than nine months. This programme should have been launched on March 1 this year, sources told Business Recorder on Tuesday.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah approved the scheme's summary for funding in February 2010, while the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) had approved the project's PC-1 in the first week of the same month, the sources said. The Education and Literacy Department had submitted the summary to Syed Qaim Ali Shah for approval and the scheme initially required a funding of Rs 597.885 million, the sources said.
After the approval of the funding summary, the Planning and Development Wing of the Education and Literacy Department had made a feasibility report, which still remain unimplemented, the sources said. According to PC-1 obtained by Business Recorder, the PC-1 of the programme stated: "The execution authority of this programme would be Directorate of Chinese Language Programme, sources added in this regard that the education department has not established the said directorate which had to be made also after the approval of funding summary.
"Since Pakistan came into being, it has good relations with China. The relations between both the countries have strengthened with the passage of time. The main objective of this project is to introduce Chinese Language Courses to all students of each level throughout Sindh province in order to provide basic knowledge of the language for entering to extensive business, economic and cultural relations with the new economic giant of today's world, PC-1 mentioned."
"China is the oldest and most populous nation in the world, with 1.28 billion people. One fifth of the planet speaks Chinese language. Mandarin language is the mother tongue of over 873 million people of China, making it the most widely spoken first language in the world," the PC-1 further stated.
In addition to the People's Republic of China and Taiwan, Mandarin is also spoken in Chinese communities of Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, and Mongolia." "China is the second largest economy in the world. China will play a major role in world affairs in the future," PC-1 mentioned. A senior official told this correspondent that the Education and Literacy Department had appointed a consultant to initiate this scheme, but many other important issues still remained unresolved, delaying the scheme's execution. He said that he was hopeful that the Chinese language programme would be introduced in the first week of May next year.