Learning Chinese popular among students in Ghana

Benjamin Gyimah, 21, is a high school graduate working at the GS Plaza Hotel, a leading Chinese hospitality facility in Ghana's capital.

He grew up loving Chinese movies and arts but could not understand the films without subtitles.

Now, his dream of learning Chinese is on the way to being fulfilled after he enrolled at the Confucius Institute earlier this year after his elder brother, who studied Chinese at the University of Ghana, encouraged him to do so.

"I thought Chinese was complex. But as more time passes, I love it," he said.

Learning Chinese "is simpler than I thought. Learning Chinese is fun. I love Chinese movies, especially kung fu films", he said.

Like many young Ghanaians who have studied Chinese, the Chinese-owned hotel where he works presents him with plenty of opportunities to interact with Chinese people.

Others, like Emelia Ansong, a local Chinese language teacher with the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast, about 146 kilometers west of the capital, are continuously improving their proficiency in the language.

Speaking about her efforts, Ansong said: "I did my bachelor's degree in Chinese and geography. And after that, I traveled to China to do a master's in teaching Chinese.

"Later, I got the opportunity to return to Ghana and teach Chinese at UCC."

The Confucius Institute established its first Ghanaian campus at the University of Ghana in 2013, and the second at the university in 2016, to promote Chinese language and culture learning among Ghanaians.

"So, more opportunities are now available for people to learn Chinese," she said.

"At the Confucius Institute at the university, we have three courses for students who are interested in learning Chinese."

In addition to the Confucius Institute centers in the universities, the University of Ghana also runs a degree program in Chinese, giving more people the chance to learn the language.

Speaking about what drives Ghanaian youth to take up learning Chinese, Ansong said: "A lot of young Ghanaian people are curious and would like to explore the world beyond their borders."

Nathaniel Oquaye graduated from the University of Ghana with a double major in Chinese and political science. And in 2016, he got the opportunity to study in Zhejiang province in China, where he studied Chinese language and culture for nine months.

He said that learning Chinese is a must for every young person seeking to rise in the job market.

"I think Chinese is going to become very important over the next decade," Oquaye said.

He described Chinese artworks as beautiful, and said: "I studied a bit of calligraphy and painting."

Now, back in Ghana, he praised the Chinese government for doing much through the embassy to reward excellent and outstanding students who study the language at the University of Ghana.