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Mandarin quintuples in popularity as school subject
From 600 in 2012 to 3,200 come the fall, the number of Israeli pupils who are choosing to learn China's official language are on the rise; China's growth in political and economic influence are cited as reasons for this change.
The number of students learning Mandarin in Israeli schools has multiplied by five in the last four years, from 600 in 2012 to 3,200 in the upcoming academic year.
Mandarin was introduced to Israeli schools nine years ago, and it is offered from third grade all the way to twelfth as an elective. The subject was added in response to China's growing international economic and political influence, according to employees in the Ministry of Education's who oversee foreign language instruction.
Minister of Education Naftali Bennett commented, "There's a large demand today for people who can connect between developing China and the rest of the world."
Israeli student of Mandarin
Data from his ministry show that the number of schools offering Mandarin has increased. This upcoming scholastic year, 110 schools offer the subject. Four years ago, a mere 30 offered classes.
The pupils tend to take their studies seriously; the average grade in the matriculation exam is relatively high at 95. The 100 students who have elected to study Mandarin this year outnumber those studying Italian (70) and German (55).
Students who have chosen to be tested on Yiddish skills on their matriculation exams still significantly surpass the number of Mandarin at 300. Three hundred fifty pupils will be tested on their Amharic, 380 on Spanish, 1,600 on French and 9,000 in Arabic (from the non-Arab population).
Tamar Cohen-Kehat, the Education Ministry's Inspector for Chinese, Italian and German language Educatio, said, "Learning Chinese opens up new worlds of ways of thinking and culture for the student, and also varied opportunities…in the world of global business."
