KAMPALA - Chinese language teaching in Ugandan secondary schools has taken root despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, officials said here on Saturday.

Grace Baguma, director of the country's National Curriculum Development Center, said that Chinese language courses have been offered in over 30 secondary schools in Uganda after Chinese was integrated into the ordinary level curriculum.

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has disrupted the school calendar and despite the limited learning materials for teaching, teachers here have persisted in teaching the Chinese language, Baguma said, noting that more materials would be made available.

Baguma made the remarks at the opening of the second online seminar for Ugandan secondary school teachers of the Chinese language.

Barnabas Nawangwe, vice chancellor of Makerere University, said at the seminar that the university is ready to promote Chinese language learning for students who have advanced to the university level from secondary school.

Charles Kahigiriza, head teacher of Ndejje Secondary School, one of the schools teaching the Chinese language, suggested that a China Day can be organized in the school calendar to attract more students to learn about the Chinese language and culture.

Learning the Chinese language is critical, said Kahigiriza, noting that it opens up opportunities for students, for instance jobs after graduation, as well as further study opportunities in China, among others.