Confucius Institute and the Development of Chinese Language Teaching in Cameroon

Cameroon and China have been cooperating and exchanging in several areas for a long time. In the educational sector, the Confucius Institute plays an important and ‘unique’ role in the materialisation of the educational and cultural exchange between the two countries. In recent years, the institute is experiencing a resurgence of interest in Chinese language and culture among young Cameroonians. The number of learners enrolled in the Confucius Institute is increasing, and the realisations of the Institute are obvious, it includes the grant of scholarships to study in China, the training programmes for local Chinese teachers and the opportunities of work for graduated students. Nevertheless, despite the success and various realisations of the Confucius Institute in Cameroon, some issues influencing the performance of this institution and the quality of the cooperation need to be addressed. It remains necessary to conduct some reforms on the management of the cooperation to attend an effective and successful educational and cultural exchange and mutual understanding. Keywords: Confucius Institute, Cameroon, China, Educational and Cultural exchange, Chinese teaching. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-3-05 Publication date: January 31 st 2021