Lagos — Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, justified the proposed introduction of Chinese language in public schools, saying one of the advantages is aimed at boosting the state economy.
The governor who made the disclosure during the commemoration of his 2000 Days in office in Ikeja believed the state government needed to move fast in line with the global challenge and more important, China is an economic world power.
He said: "The Chinese are in our homes more than we care to admit. China has become our largest economic partner."
Fashola recalled an instance where there was a need to have an interpreter while a contractual agreement was to be signed between the state government and a Chinese contractor, adding that it was a Chinese who understood English that came to their rescue.
Fashola explained that as the world economy is tilting in favour of China, the trend might eventually affect the English. "Don't be surprised English may go if the global power moves to Asia."
While commenting on the traffic law, the Governor acknowledged reduction in crime rate, saying that the law has improved the safety on the roads. "The reported case of crime has dropped from 60 per cent in September to 30 at the end of October," he said.
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Good to be pro-active. However, English will not disappear anytime soon and definitely not during the lifetime of anyone living today or even born tomorrow. Things will change as they always do. (No conditon is permanen!) But let us have no scare mongering here. English is currently the world's lingua franca and will not be dislodged from this position during the next say, 100 or more years. Let us embrace Manadarin, let us embrace Hindi! Knowing more than one or two languages will help to bring peoples of the world together!
A Wild dream indeed . doesnt it make our leaders appear like jokers when the priorites defy solution ? Ofcourse the nation would like to speak to one another in a national language which ,hopefully may help narrow down frequent inter ethnic conflicts , perhaps also improve diversity. Chinese language to assume centre stage in school curiculunm ? Crazy and confused proposition . I suggest the Lagos Governor weigh-in State priorities in his region of twenty something million people , take a quick review of lack of common amenities including infrastructure such as hhighways,water,drainage,power before basking into programs with less priorities in national interest. What happened to the previous idea for national lingua franca? I will assume that a State like Lagos with immense shortage of housing will be smart enough to tag developement program with prudence beynd broadening new foreign language . Put such money into reviving declining education standard and teacher education .