Look east: pupils urged to learn from China ties

YOUNGSTERS THROUGHOUT Perth and Kinross are being primed to grasp the opportunities offered by one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

China has weathered the financial storm that has affected many countries since 2008 and continues to develop apace, presenting Scottish businesses with a vibrant export market for products and services.

Perth and Kinross enjoys excellent links with the Asian powerhouse, making it ideally placed to benefit. It boasts a vibrant Chinese community, strong twinning and business relationships and has been at the forefront of the establishment of teaching initiatives such as Confucius Classrooms.

Yesterday a special Chinese Conference brought together 11 schools from across the region, with the aim being to give the next generation the chance to learn about a land of opportunity.

The event was held in the Confucius Hub at Perth High School, with representatives from the local Chinese community, SCILT (Scotland’s national centre for languages) and the Confucius Institute in Glasgow all taking part.

As well as overviews of the work taking place and the role of Mandarin in Perth and Kinross, there were presentations from each of the schools about the topics they have covered, from Chinese New Year and calligraphy to pandas and Chinese art.

Pupils also took part in a tai chi session and heard from Aberdeen pupils who have also been learning about Chinese language and culture.

The schools were welcomed to the event by Perth and Kinross Provost Liz Grant, who believes that links to China will prove increasingly important to Scotland’s workforce.

“The opportunities for our children and young people to learn Mandarin Chinese or to discover more about China’s culture continue to grow,” she told The Courier.

“In fact, more than 2,000 pupils have had that chance over the past four years.

“It is important that with China’s increasing global role and links with Scotland, our future generations have a good awareness of the country.”

In recent years, high-level delegations have made their way to China, led by Perth and Kinross Council, business leaders and senior members of Perth’s Chinese community.

Twinning links between Perth and the city of Haikou have also been strengthened, while Perth College UHI has also been working hard to create relationships.

Picture: Steve MacDougall. Andy Chan, chairman of the Perthshire Chinese Community Association, and Peter Flood, Perth High School head teacher, with Provost Liz Grant and children representing the schools which attended the event.