ISLAMABAD: Balochistan government is considering teaching the Chinese language in government schools up to matric level keeping in view the mega development projects associated with China in the province.

“The chief minister has directed to launch the programme in Gwadar’s educational institutes in the first phase which will be extended across the province later,” Additional Secretary Salahuddin Noor Zai of the provincial education department told APP on Wednesday.

He said that the Chinese language education programme in Balochistan will be funded by the Chinese government and members of faculty staff would be those Chinese who also know Urdu and Balochi languages.

“The Chinese language will be made a compulsory subject at matric level in the province and within one year’s period the province’s entire schools up to matriculation classes will be teaching standard Mandarin,” he said.

He said that due to strong economic bonds with China it was the province’s future requirement to teach the youth Chinese language to further strengthen relations with China and benefit the people.

The language would also help Baloch youth in attaining knowledge of modern sciences besides exploiting the imminent development opportunities arising out of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).