Ma Zhanwu, the consul general of China in Calcutta, has invited the
faculty members and students of Darjeeling's two top schools, St
Joseph's (North Point) and St Paul's, for an educational exchange tour
of China.
The invitation, which is a rarity for schools based outside major
cities, comes at a time Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has been
called by the Chinese Communist Party and the government to visit their
country soon.
During an interaction with The Telegraph
in Darjeeling today, Zhanwu said: "Yesterday, I visited St Joseph's and
St Paul's, which impressed me greatly. We have invited the directors,
faculty members and students of both the schools to visit China in
coming months. We are working out the details."
The diplomat said such interaction could also see a steady inflow of Chinese students to the two institutions.
Educational institutions in the hills have attracted students from
across the world. There are students from Hong Kong, too, but Chinese
citizens have not enrolled in the hill schools.
"The exchange programme would help learn how high schools and primary
schools are run in China and students would also get to know about
things and classes in China. Chinese would also want to know about such
legendary schools here," said Zhanwu.
Fr Shajumon CK, rector, St Joseph's School, said: "We are looking at
the possibility of visiting China. It is for the first time that such an
invitation has come."
Zhanwu expressed happiness over Mamata's decision to visit China
soon. "We are very happy that chief minister of Bengal will be visiting
China soon. I believe with the visit, exchanges in various fields,
including economy, trade, investment, tourism and education, will be
promoted between Bengal and China, and China and India," he said.(TT)
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