President Ruto Urged to Send More Teachers to China.
A Kenyan history lecturer based in China has urged President William Ruto to advocate for Kenya’s official recognition as an English-speaking country. He emphasized that such a move would enhance access to employment opportunities for Kenyans in China, particularly in the education sector.
Brian Karani, who teaches at an international high school in China, explained that if Kenya secured this designation, it would ease the acquisition of work visas for Kenyans. He expressed hope that President Ruto would take up the matter during bilateral engagements with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Karani highlighted the struggles Kenyans face when applying for English teaching jobs in China, citing the difficulty in obtaining work permits. He pointed out that although English teaching is among the most in-demand jobs in China, many qualified Kenyans are sidelined due to legal classifications and visa restrictions.
He stated that Kenyans possess a strong command of English and are capable of teaching the language on a large scale. According to him, the country had already seen substantial economic benefit through diaspora remittances, which totaled Ksh672 billion the previous year. He maintained that enabling more Kenyans to work in China would further increase these contributions.
Karani proposed that Ruto engage his Chinese counterpart to create a pathway for Kenya to supply teachers to Chinese schools. He argued that a formal English-speaking designation would not only allow trained educators but also non-teaching professionals to obtain jobs in China without necessarily holding teaching credentials.
He also compared Kenya’s potential to South Africa’s current position, asserting that Kenya could offer higher quality English instruction. While South Africans currently enjoy broader teaching prospects in China, Karani expressed confidence that Kenya could surpass them in both numbers and linguistic proficiency.
Progress Through Diaspora Engagement
Karani acknowledged the Kenyan government’s efforts in supporting its citizens abroad. He credited the creation of a dedicated diaspora department, introduced under President Ruto’s administration, as a crucial step forward. He recalled that the diaspora community had awaited such a department since the time of former President Kibaki, and he appreciated the current administration for fulfilling that need.
In response, President Ruto assured Kenyans abroad that the government was aware of the appeal to have Kenya recognized as an English-speaking country. He mentioned that Kenya had already begun bilateral labor discussions with China, aimed at increasing job openings for Kenyans.
Ruto praised the Kenyan diaspora for actively pursuing global work opportunities and reiterated that this priority had led to the formation of the State Department for Diaspora Affairs. He mentioned that Foreign Affairs and Diaspora officials, including Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu, were actively working on the issue.
The president affirmed that Kenya had signed several bilateral labor agreements and planned to secure one that would specifically recognize the country’s English proficiency. He concluded that Kenyans spoke the best English in Africa and that he would personally follow up on the matter and deliver a report in due course.
President Ruto Urged to Send More Teachers to China.
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