08 February 2017
150 Chinese students and staff from BaYi High School will be in Jersey this week for their annual visit to Hautlieu School. As well as taking part in lessons, visiting historical sites and performing dance and music, the Beijing students will be here for the formal opening of the Confucius Classroom.
Hautlieu head teacher Nick Falle said “Hautlieu and BaYi were officially twinned in 2011 and the relationship has gone from strength to strength. We are delighted to welcome another group of Chinese students to our school, particularly as this is a special occasion.”
Since September 2016 Hautlieu students have been learning Mandarin in the Confucius classroom, which is staffed by a Chinese teacher from Beijing, who is funded by China’s Han Ban Institute. Hautlieu students will make a reciprocal visit to BaYi in March.
Education Minister Deputy Rod Bryans said “Jersey’s links with China bring tangible educational benefits for our students and staff. I have seen for myself the positive impact on young people of meeting fellow students from a completely different culture. They also reinforce the work our government is doing to build business partnerships that could be of great value to Jersey’s economy in future.”
The Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, said “I am pleased that Jersey’s schools are continuing to build strong cultural links between our two communities. Exchange visits of this kind are an opportunity to share Jersey’s unique history and heritage with the visiting students, while also supporting our government links with China.”
The Chinese students will be in Jersey from Wednesday 08 February to Friday 120 February as part of an annual European tour. They will be accompanied by the school’s head teacher, Shen Jun, and deputy head Zhu Kai, together with the Minister Counsellor for Education from the Chinese Embassy in London, Wang Youngli. Jersey’s Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, External Relations Minister Senator Sir Philip Bailhache and Education Minister Deputy Rod Bryans, who will visit the school on Friday 10 February.
gov.je