Ms. Bamo Ayi - Professor, Central University of Nationalities, Beijing – China (concluding remarks)
Thank you Madam Chair and the organisers of the meeting. In the past two days which are very short,
like other people present, for me it is the first time to share the experience and the views
concerning minority education.
And it is the first time for me to promote education for minorities and I realised the importance of
this meeting very keenly. Although we are drawing to a conclusion but I believe that further issues
can be further explored. For instance, bilingual education, we mentioned the two functions of
education: maintaining cultural identity and the languages, and the other is to integrate minorities in
society further. I believe that this point has not fully reflected in bilingual education. And also
another issue learning maternal language, but when do we introduce the second language into the
educational system, I believe that depends on the contented background of students.
Actually to introduce second language learning in early childhood has also successful experience.
Another point concerning the learning of minority language by all members of society, quite a few of
minority languages are close to extinction. Actually the members of society should learn languages
and cultures of minorities because that is complex process, if we just learn a few words to say “Hello”
or some daily life languages then to conduct cultural exchanges will be difficult with such
knowledge. Special courses and special schools if they are established to isolate people then that is
wrong but to maintain minority languages and cultures such practices are merited/are warranted.
Another issue concerning habits/costumes of minorities for instance Islamic population in Beijing we
have special schools for Muslims because in some other schools their special needs are not catered
to so concerning our recommendations we need to be sometimes specific and sometimes general.
Thank you.