LAOAG CITY — The number of learners of Mandarin language at the Paoay National High School (PNHS) has been increasing since it was introduced here in 2011.
“From 35 students last year, our current enrollees are now 326,” said PNHS school administrator Marcelina Andres, citing the abrupt jump in the number of students this year compared to past school years.
Formerly known as the Paoay Lake National High School-Poblacion Campus, PNHS launched its foreign language subject as a result of the continuing friendly relations between the Philippines and China, said the school administrator in an interview on Friday.
This was made possible through the Angeles University Foundation which identified PNHS as a pilot school considering the number of Chinese tourists visiting Paoay town.
To date, there are three local Mandarin teachers of PNHS who were sent to a month-long seminar in Angeles City, Pampanga last summer.
To strengthen the teaching-learning process of Chinese Mandarin, a volunteer Chinese teacher, Li Bin from Hanban Confucius Institute, is in Paoay town to join the teaching force, said Andres.
As one of the beneficiaries of the Consulate People’s Republic of China Education Sponsorship Program, at least three local students were sent to China to study foreign language in the past years.
The scholarship requires the student-beneficiaries to teach Chinese-Mandarin for eight years. (PNA)
