Wisdom school students praise the benefits of learning Chinese
The students of Wisdom School from primary through secondary levels,say they have made significant progress in speaking and understanding Chinese, following the school’s decision to intensify the teaching of the language alongside English, Kinyarwanda, and French.
Many of them have begun to appreciate the value of Chinese from an early age, stating that it helps them communicate with Chinese people and positions them for future opportunities in international trade and economic activities. China is currently one of the leading investors in Africa, making fluency in Chinese a fast track to employment or study and work opportunities in China.
Shema Bienheureux Achille Pitie, a 12-year-old student at Wisdom School, recently returned from an international Chinese language competition in China, where he secured second place among participants from 63 countries worldwide.
He said: “Learning Chinese has been beneficial and impactful. It allowed me to participate in an international Chinese-speaking competition in China, where I placed second and received a certificate and a trophy. This experience opened doors for me I now feel confident interacting with Chinese people, finding schools in China has become easier, and there are job opportunities ahead since I hold a language proficiency certificate.”
This was echoed by Irakiza Niyonizeye Christella, another student at Wisdom School, who is determined to work hard and one day participate in the same competition, using the opportunity to promote Rwanda.
She said: “Learning Chinese will enable us students to contribute to Rwanda’s development by fostering better collaboration with Chinese partners, encouraging more investments in our country through easier communication. After witnessing this, I’m fully committed to learning Chinese and hope to one day compete in China and bring home a victory. This is an extraordinary opportunity Wisdom has given us, helping Rwandans feel connected to the global stage.”
Elite Nduwayesu, the Head of Wisdom School, highlighted the many opportunities learning Chinese offers and revealed the school’s plans to become a regional Chinese language teaching center.
He said: “Today, Chinese is a language of immense opportunity. As China continues to expand its global investments, knowing Chinese creates access to numerous job prospects. A child from Wisdom School who travels to China for competitions connects with Chinese families, making future return visits easier. We are in the process of establishing a Chinese language teaching center right here at Wisdom School, and we’ve already submitted the necessary requests.”
Claudien Nsengimana, the Mayor of Musanze District, praised Wisdom School’s progress in Chinese language instruction. He stated that establishing a Chinese language center would further strengthen Musanze’s special relationship with China, especially with Jinhua City, which already maintains close ties with the district.
These remarks were made on Sunday, June 1, 2025, during an event at Wisdom School centered on a Chinese speaking and listening competition. The event featured speeches, songs, poetry, and more, all aimed at selecting the next student to represent Rwanda in China, following Shema Bienheureux Achille Pitie’s proud performance.
This marks the fifth edition of this competition since China launched the program in Rwanda. At Wisdom School, Chinese is now taught across all departments, including science, formal studies, accounting, and software engineering, which were recently added to the curriculum.
