Labour promise Mandarin to be taught in schools

That’s what Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families had to say. The government are finally catching up and realising the importance and need for Mandarin speakers. If Labour is to win the general election then Mandarin will become compulsory in schools. And there I was being forced to study French when I was in school!

However, there is a shortage of teachers in the UK. Around 500 teachers a year will need to be trained to be able to teach Mandarin. This is great news for those already with some fluency in Mandarin; it could be a perfect opportunity to become a teacher.

The need to speak Chinese is becoming more and more important, I can’t stress it enough. A survey last year showed that 38 percent of employers looking for someone with a foreign language wanted someone who could speak Mandarin or Cantonese.

Check out the Telegraph for more info