The Chinese Communist Party has gained increasing influence over Chinese weekend schools in the Netherlands in recent years. This is the conclusion of Follow The Money (FTM) and RTL News after research. The schools receive free textbooks from the Chinese government and organize courses for teachers and camps for students in China. There are 28 Chinese weekend schools in the Netherlands, where approximately 5,000 Dutch children between the ages of 5 and 18 receive lessons every week. These are mainly language and culture lessons, usually with a Chinese background. Chinese geography and history are also taught at a number of schools. These weekend schools are affiliated with an umbrella organization that, according to FTM and RTL, has close ties with the Chinese embassy and a ministry that wants to exercise control over everyone abroad who is considered Chinese by the Chinese government. For example, this so-called United Front Work Department counters opposition voices and tries to influence global opinion about China. The chairman of the Dutch umbrella organization traveled to China in October for consultations with the ministry. The chairman confirms to RTL News that the foundation is supported by the Chinese government. "It is financially difficult for weekend schools. Fewer and fewer companies want to sponsor Chinese education. Last October I asked in China whether the Chinese government would like to continue the support." Trainings and summer camps The ministry ensures, among other things, that teachers from China regularly go to the Netherlands to give lessons to children, or to provide training to teachers of the weekend schools. The ministry also organizes summer camps in China for Dutch students. The trip is largely paid for by the Communist Party. Since 2001, textbooks have also been imported and distributed to the 28 weekend schools through the umbrella foundation. These are donated by the Chinese government. Schools only have to pay 1 euro for distribution and customs costs. The textbooks contain material approved by the Communist Party. For example, Taiwan is described as a province of China, and nothing is said about the millions of deaths that occurred in the 20th century due to famine and internal violence under Chinese leader Mao Zedong. According to the foundation, the books are not used in lessons, but are mainly ordered by parents to use them at home. China increasingly active
Experts tell RTL News that China has been increasingly active in dealing with Chinese abroad in recent years. "You actually see a break since Xi Jinping came to power," says Christopher Houtkamp of the Clingendael Institute. "Then China started investing more heavily in weekend schools." The Dutch Education Inspectorate does not carry out any checks on the weekend schools, because they do not receive any money from the Dutch government. The Ministry of Education tells RTL that it will discuss it internally. The ministry is also working on a bill to give the Education Inspectorate the opportunity to inspect weekend schools.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Thank you for choosing to make a difference through your donation. We appreciate your support.
This website uses marketing and tracking technologies. Opting out of this will opt you out of all cookies, except for those needed to run the website. Note that some products may not work as well without tracking cookies. Opt Out of CookiesCategories
All
Archives
April 2024
|