Education | Tam wants more mainland students in Macau

Alexis Tam (left) and Chen Baosheng

The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, met several central government officials last week in Beijing to discuss possibilities of cultural exchange and cooperation between Macau and mainland China.

According to a statement from Tam’s office, the visit included a meeting with the Minister of Education, Chen Baosheng. Tam was said to be pleased with the results of the measure to allow local students to access university institutions in the mainland. According to the figures cited, this has already led to the acceptance of approximately 1,000 students since last year, indicating greater recognition by Macau students and their parents.

This year, Tam said the MSAR government will continue promoting the exchange and training of teachers and students in fields such as science, arts, languages, sports and national education. The measure is designed to attract more mainland students to Macau.

Chen Baosheng said that education in Macau has produced good results and expressed hopes that this will continue. “Macau will foster, in a stable way, the education of the love for the motherland and for Macau, laying the foundations for a stable prosperity in the long term,” he said.

Macau and the mainland have already adopted common teaching materials for history, which may “expand to more subjects” in future.

In relation to cultural activities, the authorities revealed that a series of activities are being planned “with the help of the Ministry of Culture” to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the handover in 2019.

Both sides also agreed to deepen cultural exchange and cooperation, especially in the cultural and artistic development of Macau youth. To this end, the Ministry of Culture will provide more opportunities for young people in Macau to learn mainland practices, such as internships in national, provincial and municipal cultural institutions.