Gov’t to emphasize Portuguese and English language education

In 2024 the government aims to shift focus and attention to education in the English and Portuguese languages, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Elsie Ao Ieong revealed at the Legislative Assembly (AL) while addressing the government’s policies for the next year.

The Secretary noted that the “government has always focused on foreign language education,” and she said further that with the focus of Macau on internationalization and to cater to more foreign tourists as well as the linking between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, there is a need to underscore and to train more bilingual and trilingual speakers.

She noted that while teaching English has always been popular in most schools in Macau there is a need to introduce a higher level of education in Portuguese.

On this topic, she also disclosed the intention to develop a new Portuguese school.

“In addition to establishing and improving overall continuing education and employment, and to assist students in better planning their professional careers, a Portuguese school as a one-stop system will be created. Financial support will be granted to students to continue their studies in higher education in Portugal in order to train qualified professionals fluent in Portuguese and to develop multidisciplinary knowledge,” Ao Ieong said.

Addressing inquiries of lawmakers and particularly Wang Sai Man, Ao also revealed that very soon two new schools will be established with international curricula.

“One of them is already ready to start operating and they have already enrolled students, and another will start the process of enrolment of students for the upcoming school year,” adding, “The Macau school to start operating in the Macau New Neighborhood in Hengqin will also include an international curriculum.”

Addressing some details of the project related to the creation of a Portuguese school, Ao Ieong explained, “We have this project of creating a Portuguese school. We will support students to do a course of four years in Portuguese language and, after that, they will [travel] to Portugal to continue their studies there. These are projects and work that we have for the promotion of [foreign] languages.”