Chinese ambassador hails Uganda-China partnership in education
Guangrong said education and cultural exchanges were important in strengthening relations between the two countries, noting that while trade connects markets and infrastructure links cities, education connects people.
Students of Crescent Secondary School tour a stall during the Chinese Culture Day. (Photos Nicholas Kajoba)
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Chinese Ambassador Wu Guangrong has said cooperation in education is playing a key role in strengthening people-to-people ties between Uganda and China.
He cited previous cooperation that has seen Chinese language programmes integrated into Uganda's secondary school curriculum and introduced at Makerere University.
Guangrong made the remarks during the Bringing Chinese into Schools and Chinese Culture Day event held at Crested Secondary School in Kampala on September 30, 2026.
The event gave students an opportunity to explore Chinese culture through exhibitions featuring traditional Chinese costumes, ethnic musical instruments, Chinese medicine and Chinese cuisine, as well as interactive Chinese language games.
Guangrong said education and cultural exchanges were important in strengthening relations between the two countries, noting that while trade connects markets and infrastructure links cities, education connects people.
Chinese Ambassador Wu Guangrong, Director of School Prof Charles Ibingira and principal of Crescent School Canon Lydia Kabandize during the culture day
“From university classrooms to secondary school campuses, from new facilities to rich cultural and learning experiences, our cooperation is opening windows for more young people in both countries,” he said.
Guangrong advised students to use their language skills to tell stories of the China-Uganda friendship to people across the continent.
He said the Chinese Embassy would continue to support educational cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Assistant commissioner in charge of registration of private schools at the Ministry of Education, Harriet Ssenkali, said the ministry, through the National Curriculum Development Centre, had approved Chinese as a language to be taught in secondary schools across the country.
The principal of Crested Secondary School, Canon Lydia Kabandize, said the school prepares students not only to pass examinations, but also to appreciate different cultures and acquire skills.
“One of the ways to open our learners to the world is through teaching them the Chinese language and culture. We are proud to be part of the growing number of schools that teach the Chinese language,” she said.
She said the school believes students deserve practical skills and that most learners are now exposed to entrepreneurship.
Kabandize said the school wants to become a stronger centre for Chinese language, culture and youth empowerment, as well as an education and exchange centre.
Makerere University Confucius Institute director Tang Fei said the institute had always regarded language teaching as deeply rooted in China-Uganda people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
“85 secondary schools across Uganda launched Chinese language courses, with the total number of learners exceeding 20,000. We have nurtured thousands of young talents proficient in Chinese and familiar with Chinese culture,” he said.
As an official platform for China-Uganda people-to-people and cultural cooperation, Tang said the institute would continue to launch more cultural exchange programmes for Ugandan teenagers under the guidance of the relevant education authorities of both countries.