20 students learning Chinese language at Sukkur IBA

Aim is to provide better opportunities to youth to reap benefits of CPEC

SUKKUR: Around 20 students are learning Chinese language as part of the first batch being trained by the Executive Development Centre (EDC) established at the Sukkur Institute of Business Administration (IBA) with the aim to provide better opportunities to the youth to reap benefits of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Syed Kamran Shah, the training coordinator at EDC, told The Express Tribune that apart from Chinese language classes, they are offering three- to six-month courses in the English language, IELTS preparatory classes, advance management, web development and Cisco certified network association classes and Graduate Record Education classes.

Talking about the Chinese language classes, he said that anyone with intermediate educational qualification can seek admission in the course, which will continue for three to six months. The students have to pay Rs15,000 as fee for the complete course, he added.



Anjali, a student of final year of Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA) at Sukkur IBA, said that their course has entered its third week. “Being in the initial stage, we are learning phonic sounds,” she said. Speaking in terms of CPEC, she said that it is a golden chance for the youth to get the benefits of the economic corridor, which is only possible through learning the Chinese language. Anjali hails from Rohri, where there is no higher education institute.

“China is the strongest country of the region and bonds between Pakistan and China are stronger,” she said. “CPEC is a project through which the people of Pakistan [as well as the students] can prosper. If I get a chance of scholarship for higher education in China, it will help me a lot.”



Zafar Iqbal Lashari, a resident of Khairpur, has completed his Master’s in sociology and is now learning Chinese as he wants to go to China for scholarship. “I always wanted to go to China to seek higher education under scholarship but language was the biggest hurdle,” he said. “Therefore, I am learning Chinese language to fulfil my dream.”

Irum, a student of second year enrolled in the BBA programme at Sukkur IBA, was of the view that CPEC will not only further strengthen the bonds between Pakistan and China, but will also provide enormous job opportunities to the youth. According to her, time is not far when the Chinese language will become an international language. CPEC is a blessing for the people of Pakistan and especially the youth, who are looking for respectable jobs and businesses, she said. “I am learning the Chinese language to secure my future.”



Terming CPEC a ‘game changer’ in the region, Sukkur IBA Dean and Director Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui said if we don’t learn Chinese, we will be the losers. “Keeping in mind the importance of the Chinese language, we have started these courses so that the youth can reap the benefits of CPEC,” he said. “If our people don’t know Chinese language, then the Chinese will employ their own people. Therefore, it is the need of the hour for our youth to learn the language. In short, CPEC is the game changer in the region and learning Chinese language is the key to positive change."