Third Confucius Institute to propel Chinese Cultural exchange in Kenya

The third Confucius Institute in Kenya was launched as part of the special occasion of the 50^th Anniversary of Kenya’s Independence and the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Kenya.

The establishment of the third Confucius institute in Kenya signifies Kenya’s importance as a reliable friend and a strategic partner in China’s cultural diplomacy. It also highlights China’s commitment to culture and people to people exchanges in Kenya and the region.

The first Confucius Institute in Kenya was established at the University of Nairobi on 19^th December 2005. It was the first Confucius institute of its kind to be established in Africa and was highly significant for China’s cultural offensive that the then Chinese president Mr. Hu Jintao paid it a visit during his visit to Kenya in the year 2006. It has been instrumental in promoting the understanding of Chinese language and culture since its launch. 

The Confucius Institute at University of Nairobi has been voted top 20 Confucius Institutes globally with the excellent reward six times in succession from 2007 to the end of 2012. It is an official HSK test center in Kenya for the HSK Department.  HSK is “Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì” meaning Chinese Proficiency Test, the only standardized test of Standard Chinese language proficiency for non-native speakers of mandarin such as foreign students, overseas Chinese, and members of China’s ethnic minority groups. The test is administered by Hanban, a non-government organization affiliated with the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China.

Because of the high demand and interest in Chinese language and culture in Kenya, the second Confucius Institute was established at Kenyatta University in December 2008. It offers free lessons for one academic year to any student who is interested in learning the basics of Chinese language, an effort for which they receive a certificate. This gesture has been received well and students, teachers, businessmen and tour operators have grabbed the opportunity and registered in droves.

The launch of the third Confucius institute at Egerton University will give Kenya the highest number of such institutes in Africa with South Africa, further cementing Kenya’s place as a key center of cultural diplomacy in the region. Moreover, the Confucius institute at Kenyatta University is conducting a pioneer programme in which a select group of secondary school teachers from schools within Nairobi can learn Chinese. The group of about 20 teachers is then expected to teach Chinese to students in their respective institutions. It is worth noting that the Chinese language has also permeated various primary schools in the country as a foreign language of study.

Since the establishment of the first Confucius institute in Kenya, over 200 students from the Confucius institutes have gone on to study in China on scholarships. For instance, in the last four years, there were 45 students in 2009, 40 in 2010, 97 in 2011 and 17 in 2012 that got long-or-short-term scholarships and studied in China. Currently, some of them are still studying on scholarship in China; 7 are studying for master’s degrees, 2 for bachelor’s degrees and 13 for one-year certificates in Tianjin Normal University.

Confucius Institutes in Kenya have made a significant contribution to the development of strong cultural and economic links between China and Kenya. The Institutes are mandated to teach Chinese Language and Culture, Chinese Fine Arts, Sports and Games, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Confucius Philosophy and other related Chinese programmes. They facilitate Sino-Kenya educational and cultural exchanges through specific programmes and consolidating and carrying on the friendship among the two countries. They are meant to be bridges that unite the Chinese people and the Kenya people and unlock business and trade cooperation.

Confucius Institutes are named after Chinese philosopher Confucius. His philosophy emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. He espoused the well-known principle "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself", an early version of the Golden Rule.

Confucius institutes have become a platform for cultural exchanges as well as bridges for reinforcing friendship and cooperation between China and the rest of the world. There are more than 350 Confucius institutes in 180 countries which are promoting the philosophy of the ancient Chinese scholar while facilitating cultural and educational exchanges. They are modelled on France’s Alliance Francaise, Germany’s Goethe Institute, and the British Council, but enjoy the added advantage of being attached to universities as independent departments awarding certificates, diplomas and degrees in Chinese language studies.

The interaction and understanding between the Chinese people and Kenyan people has increased tremendously necessitating the establishment of the third Confucius Institute in Kenya. This opens a good opportunity for Kenya’s future if many can speak Chinese because China’s economy is growing very fast and this will translate into more opportunities for Kenyans as the two countries work closely to achieve mutual development goals.