新政策削減孩童學習中文的機會

政府最近宣布將停止當年自由黨執政時推動的 “學校新語言計畫“，這意味著大幅減少孩童學習中文和其他語言的機會。

當年自由黨政府推動的 “學校新語言計畫” 得以讓公立學校的孩子在入學後到十年級間有了學習英文母語外第二語言的機會。 原本這項新語言計畫逐年一步步推動，預計在 2025 年前將全部到位。

可惜的是目前工黨政府已終止這項計畫，這對於公立學校的孩子來說無異是個重大損失，他們也喪失學習中文為第二語言的寶貴機會。

身為一個孩子的父親，尤其我的孩子也算是半個中國人。我清楚知道讓澳洲長大的孩子去學習中文的機會和了解中國文化是一件多麼難能可貴的事情，而如今這難能可貴的機會在工黨政府中止學校新語言計畫後將變得更遙不可及。

Government cuts opportunities for children to learn Chinese

 
It is very disappointing that the Victorian government is reducing the opportunities for children to learn Chinese and other languages at school.

The government has recently announced that is ending the new school language programs started by the previous Victorian Liberal government.

The Liberal government provided for all children attending government schools to learn a second language up to year 10. This was being introduced year by year and was scheduled to be fully in place by 2025.

However, the current government has now ended this, meaning a huge loss of opportunities for children at government schools to learn a second language such as Mandarin.

As a father myself of children whose background is half Chinese, I know how hard it can be for children in Australia to learn about their Chinese language and background. Ending these language programs will make it harder.