Make Unremitting Efforts to Promote Chinese Language

The 14th Special Book Award Ceremony of China was granted to 15 foreign friends from 15 countries in Beijing in 2020 for their outstanding contributions to promoting cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries.

Nama Didier Dieudonne, the editor in chief of the local Chinese language textbook Bonjour Cameroun in Cameroon, has become the only winner from Africa and the only young winner. Today, let's listen to his stories about international Chinese language education.

Obsessed with Chinese Language and Enjoy It

Dieudonne's father is a teacher at the Law Department of the University de Yaoundé II, Cameroon. After graduating from high school, he was admitted to the Law Department as his father wished.

In 2008, after graduating from the University de Yaoundé II, Dieudonne learned that the École Normale Supérieure, University de Maroua was going to establish a Chinese Department. With a curiosity for the Chinese language, he became one of the first 14 students admitted to the Department. Unexpectedly, he has shared an inseparable bond with the Chinese language from then on.

"At the beginning, I learnt Chinese to better understand China," said Dieudonne. "After four or five months, I truly fell in love with Chinese. It is so charming."

In 2011, the graduation ceremony for the first session of local Chinese language teachers in Cameroon was held at the University de Maroua. Dieudonne graduated with excellent grades and was awarded the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship to study at Zhejiang Normal University, pursuing a master's degree in International Chinese Language Education.

In 2015, Dieudonne, who successfully obtained his master's degree, would like to pursue further studies. Through the "China Studies Program", he came to Beijing Language and Culture University to pursue a doctoral degree in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics under Professor Li Yuming.

"During my PhD studies, I began to study and make research in a systematic manner, with the aim of identifying the major problems in Chinese language education in Cameroon." Dieudonne had gained a lot in China as a foreign student and clarified his direction: to contribute to international Chinese language education.

Cultivate Local Teachers and Improve Teaching Level

In 2018, Dieudonne, who returned to Cameroon after completing his studies, was appointed as the National Pedagogic Inspector of Chinese Language by the Ministry of Secondary Education, Cameroon. He was well aware that training outstanding local Chinese language teachers is the key to sustainable development of local Chinese language teaching. 

"In 2012, the Ministry of Secondary Education, Cameroon incorporated Chinese into the national secondary education system. After several years, more than 200 public secondary schools in Cameroon now offer Chinese courses, with over 20,000 Chinese language learners. The level of Chinese language teaching in Cameroon is leading in Africa."

Dieudonne pointed out that faculty is among the numerous urgent problems. They currently have over 200 local Chinese language teachers, whose teaching ability awaits to be improved.

"I have engaged in training Chinese language teachers in secondary schools in Cameroon, and 300 teachers have been trained in recent years. However, this is still far from enough," said Dieudonne. In the future, he wants to optimize the structure of local teachers and improve their quality of teaching.

Revise the Syllabus and Localize Textbooks

The syllabus serves as an important guide in Chinese language education. When he pursued a master's degree at Zhejiang Normal University, Dieudonne discovered many shortcomings in the Chinese language syllabus applied to secondary schools in Cameroon.

In 2016, Dieudonne began to revise the syllabus. He first translated the Foreign Language Syllabus for Cameroon Junior High Schools and the Chinese Language Syllabus for Cameroon Junior High Schools into Chinese, then, supported by Chinese and foreign educational institutions such as Beijing Language and Culture University, Zhejiang Normal University, and University de Yaoundé II, invited international Chinese language education experts and frontline teachers from China and Cameroon to work together.

After multiple discussions, the team has developed a Chinese language curriculum grading target suitable for Cameroon secondary school students to clarify, rationalize and standardize teaching objectives, and to revise the Chinese Language Syllabus for Cameroon Secondary Schools. At present, it has been adopted by many secondary schools in Cameroon.

In addition, due to the shortage of local Chinese language textbooks in Cameroon, Dieudonne, with the help of Professor Xu Lihua from Zhejiang Normal University, collaborated with experienced Chinese teachers and scholars to compile the Bonjour Cameroun textbook series.

At present, it is the only Chinese language textbook for secondary schools designated by the Ministry of Secondary Education, Cameroon. It promotes Chinese language teaching in Cameroon secondary schools and directs Chinese language education in other African countries.

"As one of the first sessions of local Chinese language teachers in Cameroon secondary schools, I am well aware of my responsibilities and mission. I shoulder the future of Chinese language teaching in Cameroon secondary schools, and in the whole of Africa. I hope to play my role and make some contribution to Chinese language education," said Dieudonne.