Chinese teachers leave for home

Confucius Institute at Karachi University likely to shut down; online teaching under consideration

KARACHI:

Chinese teachers teaching the Chinese language to Pakistani students have started returning home on Sunday.

Eleven Chinese teachers living at a cordoned off area of the NED University left under high security for the Jinnah International Terminal to catch a flight home.

After the suicide bombing at University of Karachi (KU) last month, the Chinese language classes at the Confucius Institute and NED University had practically stopped. The KU and NED authorities are now considering teaching the Chinese language online.

KU Institute Director Professor Dr Nasiruddin Khan has confirmed the departure of the Chinese teachers from Pakistan. Talking to The Express Tribune, he said in a sombre tone that Chinese teachers and officials had decided to leave on Sunday evening.

Read Female suicide bomber kills 3 Chinese nationals at KU

"This is the first step. Now it is time to decide how our children will learn Chinese," he said. He added that, "Online classes are under consideration, while our Pakistani teachers who have learned Chinese will try to carry the BS programme forward instead of the Chinese teachers."

It should be noted that the Confucius Institute for the Chinese Language was established at KU in 2013. It was the ninth year since the first batch of the BS programme was admitted. At the same time, the NED University had made Chinese language compulsory for all its disciplines for two semesters, and about 2,500 students were studying the Chinese language simultaneously each semester.

According to KU sources, all Chinese teachers and officials had moved to NED University after the explosion outside the Confucius Institute last month, which killed three Chinese teachers and a Pakistani driver. A Baloch secessionist outfit had claimed the responsibility of the terrorist attack targeting Chinese nationals.

Subsequently, the authorities moved the Chinese teachers and officials to a cordoned off area of NED. They were kept under tight security by the Rangers, and a food container was sent to the NED from the Chinese Consulate for their food needs.