Is Philippines the only non-Chinese speaking country with primary/secondary schools that has a Chinese curriculum?

[greenarcher]

After a year of studying in Beijing, I found out that only those from our country, the Philippines have people of Chinese-descent who has started studying Mandarin since the primary level of education (until secondary). Majority of the Philippines, unlike Singapore and Malaysia, only speaks Filipino and English. Does this make us the only non-Chinese speaking country to teach Chinese in many primary/secondary schools? Every single foreign-born Chinese I met in Beijing either learned the language from home or very late in their life.

Just to shed more light, we generally have 2 types of private schools: a typical private school, and a "Chinese" private school which incorporates a Chinese curriculum (mostly around 1-2 hours of Chinese lessons a day beginning from 1st grade).

[fanglu]

The Australian national curriculum requires 300 hours of foreign language study in primary school, Chinese is a pretty popular choice I think. Having said that, 300 hours over seven years isn't very much.

Some primary schools have started bilingual classes in various languages, included Chinese, where they teach subjects in a language other than English . These are aimed at non-background students and aim to integrate language study into students' school life more than the 300 hours refered to above would. See here for example.

[gato]

After a year of studying in Beijing, I found out that only those from our country, the Philippines have people of Chinese-descent who has started studying Mandarin since the primary level of education (until secondary).

You mean if they went to private Chinese school?

[greenarcher]

Yeah something like that.

[David Wong]

My daughter's elementary school in New Jersey teaches Mandarin starting from 1st grade/primary 1, and the program continues through middle and high school. However, Spanish remains the most widely taught foreign/second language in schools here.

Does the Chinese private school you refer to use Chinese as the language of instruction, or does it teach Chinese as a second language?

The Chinese private schools in Malaysia use Chinese as the language of instruction in most, if not all subjects.

[greenarcher]

Technically, they teach Chinese as a third language.

English is the medium of instruction in the Philippines for all schools. Filipino is taught as a second language. Mandarin as third for Chinese Private Schools.

Does your daughter's school teach Mandarin to everyone? Even to non-Chinese?

I brought this up because it seems we are a special case, (save from a really small number of Singaporeans and Malaysians) I realized we are the only ones in Beijing studying Mandarin who have started learning the language since first grade. Kind of embarrassing in a way but 99% doesn't take the curriculum seriously.

[David Wong]

Yes, Mandarin classes at the elementary school is an elective that any student can take.

However, a local private Chinese language school offers a more intensive weekend course, intended for kids who have a Chinese speaking environment at home. By the third grade, students should know ~1000 characters and 750 compound words. It follows the 马立平 curriculum.