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Ministers must be realistic over Mandarin proposals - Teather

8.38.32pm GMT Mon 5th Feb 2007

Commenting on proposals to allow secondary schools to teach languages such as Mandarin or Arabic instead of EU languages, Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary, Sarah Teather MP said:

"Broadening the curriculum to encompass other languages is welcome.

"But ministers need to be realistic; French and German have been taught in our schools for decades and we still can't recruit enough fully qualified teachers.

Sarah Teather (photography: Sarah Teather)

"How precisely do they intend to tempt enough Mandarin and Arabic graduates to offer the choice to all children and not just those in the most privileged schools?"

Applicability: this item refers to England and Wales. Due to devolution, detailed policy may be different in other areas of the UK.

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Previous news story: Prison violence has exploded due to Labour mismanagement - Campbell (Mon 5th Feb 2007).
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